Nothing Worth Having Is Easy
by Sassysaint
Summary: Stephanie wakes up after an accident with no memory. Both Morelli and Ranger try to win her over. What happens when the only memories that start to return are ones when both men have said hurtful things.
1. Chapter 1

All of the standard disclaimers. The characters don't belong to me. I get paid in reviews not in money. Thanks to Jenn for editing and making sure I make sense.  
*************NOTHING WORTH HAVING IS EASY*********************

Chapter 1-

The beeping sound was my first clue and the smell of antiseptic made me positive I was in the hospital. My whole body felt stiff and sore My head was throbbing. I had a pounding headache. I searched my mind to remember what happened that made me wind up here. I had nothing. But something had to happen to put me in the hospital. I wasn't sure what injuries I may have, but the worst of my pain was absolutely the throbbing going on in my head.

Wait. My name. What the hell was my name? Okay, let's look at the facts. I am in a hospital. I have a killer headache. I don't know who I am or how the hell I got here. This makes no sense. Did I hit my head on something? Was this a dream? Then I realized someone was holding my hand. The hand was warm and comforting. I waited and then I heard a voice.

"Cupcake open your eyes." the deep voice begged.

Cupcake? Who the hell is Cupcake? Me? That's ridiculous. I am obviously a grown woman. Who would call me Cupcake? I didn't attempt to open my eyes. I wasn't ready to speak with this man who would name me after food. Food. Donuts. Cake. Pudding. Yes, I needed food. I was hungry but not so hungry I wanted to open my eyes for the Cupcake guy. Unless he had donuts. Donuts might make me open my eyes.

"I'll be back." The deep voice said.

He released my hand and I heard him move away from the bed. I waited and listened for him to leave the room. Once he was gone I opened my eyes. The bright light forced me to quickly close them. I took my time blinking slowly until I could bear the bright light in the room. Once my eyes had adjusted, I glanced around. The room was painted a light yellow. There was a window to my right. I sat up a little to look outside. My head was quivering in pain. I brought my fingers to my temples and rubbed circles to try to get some relief.

Palm trees. Hmm. So, I am some place tropical. Some place hot. Some place with a beach. That made me smile. The beach? I liked the idea of sitting on the beach. I lifted my right hand and inspected the needle in the top of it that attached me to the IV beside my bed. My hand was sore. The fluid was clear. I lifted my left hand. An engagement ring and wedding band. Married? Where's my husband?

I cringed. Was I married to Cupcake man? I prayed I wasn't. I didn't want to be married to someone who would call me Cupcake. What if he had other terms of endearment? Cuddle umpkins? Sweetie pie? Snuggle muffin? Smoochy kins? Snoogy Woogy? I felt nauseous just thinking about it. I would rather be called by my name. If only I knew what it was. I heard someone at the door and quickly closed my eyes and laid back onto the pillow. The cuff squeezed on my arm. Someone was taking my blood pressure. I decided to open my eyes and saw a man smiling at me.

"Welcome back." He was smiling as if he had won the lottery.

He had crinkles at the corners of his eyes. His smile was infectious and I couldn't help but smile back at him. I studied his face. He looked kind. He was older but not elderly. He was short with blonde hair and brown eyes. I deduced that he was a nurse or a doctor because he was wearing scrubs.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"The Queens Medical Center." He continued smiling brightly.

"Where is that?" I asked.

"Honolulu Hawaii." He studied my face.

"Hmm" I still didn't understand.

"Do you know why you are here?" he asked more serious now.

"No" I answered.

"Do you know your name?" he asked.

I thought for a second and bit my lower lip and shook my head no.

"I'm Daniel. I am your nurse here. You were brought in last night with a head injury." He explained.

"I don't remember." I admitted.

"This is common with a head injury. Let me get the doctor to speak with you." Daniel squeezed my hand.

"Head injury." I mumbled.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I laid there trying to think. I wanted to figure this out. I needed to know what the heck was going on and how I got here. Most of all I needed to know who I was. I felt a tingle on the back of my neck and my eyes shot open. A gorgeous man stood in the doorway. He was dressed all in black and his shirt looked like it was painted on him. I scanned his muscular body before focusing on his face. He was tan, I guess I would describe his skin color as mocha latte. Mmmm coffee that would be good right now.

I needed to focus. Okay, Hawaii but I don't know who the hell I am. Was this home? That didn't feel right. I knew this wasn't home. Vacation? Who is this man with brown nearly black hair and piercing brown eyes? Eyes that right now seemed both sad and thoughtful. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly in what I guessed was almost a smile.

"Babe"

He crossed the room and took my hand in his. He pulled my hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on it. The kiss was light and tender. Both his touch and his light kiss had a strange calming effect on me. He sat down in the chair beside me and moved it closer to my bedside. Babe sounded a lot better than Cupcake, but I still didn't know my name. Before I could question him, the doctor came into the room.

"Hello Mrs. Manoso. I am Doctor McDonald. Do you remember why you are here?" he asked.

"No" I whispered. "I'm afraid I don't remember much of anything."

"You were in a car accident." The man holding my hand told me.

"Was anyone else hurt?" I asked.

The man holding my hand gave out a slight chuckle and I glanced up at him. When our eyes met he pulled my hand to his lips and placed another gentle kiss on the back of my hand, lingering a bit longer than the first time. This time it gave me chills throughout my body in a really good way.

"Always worried about others." He shook his head.

"No one else was hurt." The doctor confirmed.

"So how?" I asked.

"You went off the side of the road. The car rolled over." Dr. McDonald clarified.

I looked at the man holding my hand. "How?"

"The police are investigating. That's why I wasn't with you when you woke up. I was answering questions." He explained.

"Why can't I remember?" I asked.

"It's very common with head injuries. You're a very lucky woman." He enlightened me.

"Lucky? I don't feel very lucky right now." I nearly rolled my eyes.

"You survived Stephanie." The doctor smiled.

The man beside me squeezed my hand. So now I knew. My name was Stephanie Manoso. Stephanie? That felt right.

"You only have minimal cuts from glass. You have some bruising and soreness that you will definitely feel in the next twenty-four hours. We will give you some pain medication when that happens." Dr. McDonald began to explain.

"Are you in pain now?" my hand holder asked.

"I have a headache." I admitted.

"That's understandable." The doctor nodded.

"What can we do for her?" asked the man at my side.

"We're doing everything we can." the doctor assured him.

"I don't want to be here." I interrupted.

"You have a severe concussion. There was some slight brain swelling. That is why you have a headache. We have been using IV fluids to keep your blood pressure from dropping to make sure the brain is receiving enough blood. We also gave you some medication to slow your body's response to the swelling. We will do a CAT Scan and MRI late this afternoon to see if the swelling is reduced." The doctor explained.

"And if it's not?" I asked.

"We will explore other routes." He sighed.

"Other routes?' I asked

"Such as?" the man beside me asked.

"Oxygen therapy, Surgery, Hypothermia, Ventriculostomy." He offered.

"These are all more extreme treatments?" My hand holder asked.

The doctor nodded. "Yes, but let's not cross that bridge until we come to it Mr. Manoso."

Mr. Manoso? The doctor had called me Mrs. Manoso when he came in. Does that mean this gorgeous man is my husband? No way! He must be my brother. I glanced down at my own pale skin. An adopted brother? Maybe I am the one who was adopted. Parents. Where are my parents?

"A swollen brain obviously doesn't make me smart. When will I get my memory back? Can't remember anything before waking up here and I need to know who I am." I told the doctor.

"Your name is Stephanie Manoso." the doctor informed me.

"I figured that out, but that doesn't tell me who I am. I don't know why I am here. I don't know who my family is." I whined.

"Don't allow yourself to get frustrated. This is very normal. With some patients it resolves itself in seven days." Dr. McDonald smiled.

"Some?" my hand holder asked

"And others?" I pushed.

"Depending on how long the brain is swollen and the trauma it could last for months." He admitted.

"Months?" My eyes grew wide.

"Relax Babe" the man beside me spoke.

"Your husband is right. You need to relax and let the medication do its job. We will have more answers later today after the tests." The doctor smiled.

"Okay." I whispered.

Husband? How did I get such a sexy husband? Did he know about the Cupcake man? The Cupcake man sounded like he knew me. He sounded pained. Oh my God! Is he my lover? Am I a cheater? How could I cheat on this sexy man? His other hand grabbed mine and he began to stroke my hand in his. It was comforting and loving. It made me feel warm. It was as if he sensed that I was getting upset and felt the urge to comfort me. He seemed to have the ability to know just what I needed.

"If you have any other questions you can ask Daniel or anyone else on the nursing staff. I will check in on you after I have read the results of your tests." Dr. McDonald gave me a smile.

"Thank you." My 'husband' told him.

The doctor left the room and Daniel smiled at me.

"Just let me know if you need anything. There is a pitcher of water beside your bed. Are you hungry?" The nurse asked.

Just then my stomach growled and my husband chuckled.

"Yes" I admitted.

"I will bring you some soup or jello in a little while." Daniel told me before he left the room.

After Daniel left, the room was silent. I wasn't sure what to say to this stranger holding my hand. He moved his other hand to stroke the top of mine again. I looked over at him and saw his blank face. There was no emotion or expression. My head and neck were aching and my body was stiff and sore. I was trying to concentrate but the pain was getting to me.

"So…" I wasn't sure what to say.

"I need to explain some things to you Babe." He began.

"Okay, but I have a headache." I warned.

"Let me see if I can get you something." He offered.

I squeezed his hand. "Don't leave."

"Babe?" he questioned.

"I don't want to be alone. I can't explain it and I don't really even know who you are. I just don't…" I lost my words. "I need you."

"I won't go." He assured me.

I knew I had tears swelling in my eyes. I felt my cheeks grow red. I hated to admit it, but I needed him. He gave me the comfort I so desperately needed now. I was afraid that my memories would never return He pressed the call button and asked Daniel for something for my pain. I also explained to Daniel that I was feeling nauseous now. He was back quickly with pain pills and some anti-nausea medication. I closed my eyes and settled back against the pillow.

"Cupcake?" I heard the voice and opened my eyes.

"Is that me?" I asked him.

"Of course it's you." He smiled and winked.

"Hello." I said tentatively.

"Thank God" he was quickly at my side.

The man was tall and good looking. He had brown hair and brown eyes. His skin was lighter than my husbands but more tan than mine. He quickly crossed the room and kissed my cheek. I reflexively moved away from his touch. I moved closer to my husband. the other man pulled back and squinted his eyes to look at me.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked me.

"Uhm. Who are you?" I asked him.

"I'm your boyfriend, well actually your fiance." He pulled back further and placed his hands on his hips.

"But…" I looked at my husband confused.

When I looked back to the Cupcake man I noticed he looked very angry. His eyes shot to my husband. He looked like he wanted to punch him in the face.

"She has amnesia." My husband explained.

Cupcake guy laughed and then regained his angry expression.

"So, you told her that you were her husband?" he glared.

"No. I was about to explain to her why she was here." My husband said.

"Allow me." Cupcake guy smirked.

He stayed on his feet but dropped his hands to his sides.

"I am Detective Joe Morelli. I have known you your whole life. I am your boyfriend and we are engaged to be engaged.. This man here, Ranger is a dangerous thug." He began "You came to Hawaii for a vacation and saw a skip. You are a bounty hunter by the way. At least that's what you think. You are a terrible bounty hunter. You bumble around like an idiot until pure luck helps you capture whoever you are after."

"What's a skip?" I asked.

I tried to ignore the idiot comment, but I wouldn't forget it. I didn't want to get upset and risk the pain it would cause if I intensified my headache.

"Someone who skips out on going to their court date. You try to catch them and you earn a percentage of the bond. You live hand to mouth. You're always broke because your job sucks." Cupcake man explained.

"It sounds very interesting to me." I shrugged

"It's dangerous. It's especially dangerous when you're with Rangeman." Cupcake mam said

"Who's Rangeman? What's Rangeman?" I was more curious.

"My security company. We also try to handle the most dangerous skips." My 'husband said

"I'm with it? How?" I asked

"Sometimes you work for me. You do research. You are amazing when it comes to finding things that others over look." Manoso answered

"He's still a dangerous thug. He operates outside of the law." Morelli spat

"I'm married to a dangerous thug?" I asked.

"No. Damn it. You are not really married to him. You called him to come help you on a case and you needed to pretend to be married for your case. So you could go after your skip." Cupcake guy rolled his eyes.

"If you're my boyfriend or fiance or whatever why didn't I call you?" I asked him.

"We were in an off period. I was busy with work." He shook his head.

"What's an off period?' I asked him.

"It's what we do. I'm Italian and I have a temper. You're half Italian and half Hungarian and you are stubborn. So sometimes we break up, but we always get back together." He moved his hands back to his hips.

"So, I didn't call you because you were busy and we weren't together? We were broken up?" I asked him.

"Don't be difficult. I have a very hard job. I am great at my job. I am a cop. My work is important." Again, he rolled his eyes.

"So I'm not married?" I asked

"No. He is not your husband. He is nothing to you. Just a guy who helps you out sometimes." Morelli explained

I turned to my 'husband' and pulled my hand away. I could see the slight wince on his face. I was sure I winced too at the loss of contact.

"Are you a dangerous thug? You made time for me?"I asked him.

He nodded "I am a bounty hunter and I own a security firm. I'm not a thug. I always make time for you."

"You don't seem like you are dangerous. At least not a danger to me." I noticed.

"Do not underestimate him. He has been trying to weasel his way into your bed since he met you." Cupcake guy explained.

"I invited him to be my husband?" I turned back to Cupcake guy.

"No. You called for his help. He always bails you out. That's his thing. I am sure it was his idea." He gritted his teeth. "He wants to make you feel like you owe him."

"Do I owe him?" I asked.

"NO! You're my girlfriend. Almost fiancée!" Cupcake man's voice got louder.

"But not right now?" I asked.

"Always. Just I was busy." He looked down at his feet.

"So, why are you here?" I asked him.

"I came to surprise you. I got two days off so I figured I would come and spend time with my fiancee." He explained.

"But we're off?" I was confused.

"Damn it Cupcake. We are nearly engaged. I don't know what went on here before I came. I am sure he took advantage of you. You are mine. You would never choose to be with him." The Cupcake guy was getting frustrated.

"Are these your rings?" I asked the man as I held up my left hand.

He glared at me. "No. They are fake rings from a fake marriage. Actually you should probably take them off now."

"I gave you the rings and I can assure you they are very real. They belong to you." My 'husband' spoke softly.

"They are beautiful." I told him.

I studied the rings on my finger. The engagement ring had a big diamond in the center and there were two smaller sapphires on each side of the diamond. The Wedding ring had a thin line of diamonds all the way around it. Both rings were platinum. I looked up at my husband or maybe husband. I was so confused.

"They're real?" I questioned.

"Babe, I would never put fake rings on your finger." he confided.

"We are engaged." Cupcake man announced.

"Engaged to you but I married him?" I asked as I turned back to the Cupcake guy.

"YOU ARE NOT MARRIED TO HIM!" Cupcake man shouted.

My 'husband' jumped to his feet. He moved in between me and the angry man. His jaw was clenched tightly. He was definitely angry too. I hope he wasn't angry with me. He looked like he could be scary but for some reason I wasn't afraid of him.

"You need to calm down Morelli. This isn't helping. She doesn't remember any of this." My 'husband' told him.

"Screw you Manoso. It's easy for you to ask me to be calm. Of course, you're calm. Everyone here thinks you are her husband." Cupcake man or Morelli I guess, growled.

"She doesn't need this right now." My husband told him.

"Don't tell me what my girlfriend needs." Morelli gritted his teeth.

"I got demoted?" I asked.

Both men snapped their heads my way. Morelli rolled his eyes and glared at me. I turned to Manoso and noticed a slight lift at the corners of his mouth. I closed my eyes and laid back. I felt chilly so I pulled the sheet that covered me up to my chin. Manoso moved to the end of the bed and pulled the blanket up for me.

"Cold?" Morelli asked.

"Yeah" I whispered.

"I could climb in there and heat you up." He wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

"Umm…this thing here…" I moved my hand to gesture to all three of us. " isn't going to work."

"What? There is no thing here." Morelli asked.

"I just..." I didn't know what to say.

"How's my blue-eyed girl?" Daniel came into the room with a tray covered in food.

"I need help." I told him.

"How can I help you?" he asked me with a concerned look in his eyes as he set the tray down.

"I need to get out of here." I told the nurse.

"We'd like to keep you a bit longer, You have some tests to do after lunch. Do you have somewhere you need to be?" he leaned down and patted my shoulder.

"I have no idea but I just feel like I shouldn't be here. I hate the smell, the noise, and people poking and prodding." I explained.

"Babe, you hate hospitals. Always have." Manoso chuckled.

"Can you both leave?" I asked the men.

"That's a good idea. Give her some quiet for a while." Daniel backed me up.

"Here's your cell." Manoso said.

He placed a phone on the table beside my bed.

"Thank you." I told him.

"Cupcake…" Morelli began.

"You can both come back later." I assured him.

"I just don't…" Morelli started again.

"Come on guys. Let's give our girl some peace and quiet." Daniel stepped away from the bed.

"Call if you need me. I'll be nearby." Manoso told me.

"Me too." Morelli added.

"She should be done with her tests by three o'clock." Daniel told them.

"I'll be here." Morelli nodded.

"Babe" was all my 'husband' said before he left.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Stephanie? Mrs. Manoso?" a warm voice called to me.

I felt a gentle hand rubbing my shoulder. I struggled to open my eyes. The pain in my head had dulled but was still there. I finally got my eyes to cooperate and saw the smiling face of my nurse Daniel. There was another nurse with him. She was blonde with green eyes.

"Stephanie. We need to take you to your MRI." Daniel told me.

"What's an MRI?" I asked.

"A test that will take detailed pictures of your brain." The woman explained.

"Can't you bring the camera to me?" I asked.

"The camera they use is in a big tube. They use magnets and radio waves." Daniel elaborated as he raised the railing on the right side of my bed.

"Magnets? A tube?" I was nervous.

"You'll be fine." The woman assured me as she raised the railing on the left side of my bed.

She came to the head of my bed. Daniel was at the foot. They released the brake and began to roll the bed towards the door and panic gripped me. The idea of being enclosed in a tube made me nervous. I didn't know, why I was just suddenly starting to feel claustrophobic. When we got into the hall my husband was there. He was leaning against the wall beside my door. He gave me that slight smile. I shook my head and felt a tear slide down my face.

"Babe."

He moved forward and stopped the movement of the bed. He looked at Daniel as he waited for an explanation. Daniel glanced at me before he looked back at my husband.

"We are taking her for the MRI." Daniel explained to him.

"If she gets more agitated we will give her something." The blonde told him.

I glanced at the blonde. She was beaming at my husband and then she winked. What the hell? Real or fake husband, I am still wearing his rings. I didn't want any medication and I didn't want her ogling him.

"I'm going to get more agitated if you don't stop drooling over my husband." I told the blonde.

She quickly looked at me and then looked down to her feet. My husband chuckled. He grabbed my hand and kissed my forehead. Daniel started moving the bed again and my husband never let go. He followed right along with us and no one questioned him. When we got to the MRI room he kissed my hand and let it go.

"I'll be right outside." He assured me.

I nodded and they wheeled me into the room. They counted together and then lifted me by my sheet and moved me onto a skinny board right outside of a narrow, white, ten-foot-long tunnel. They put headphones on me and Daniel cautioned me about loud noises. A voice came through my headphones announcing that we were about to begin. The man asked me what kind of music I liked. Music? How the hell could I think of music right now?

"Whatever." I told him.

"Relax. It will be over much quicker than you think." He tried to reassure me.

Soft jazz came booming through my headphones. The music was much louder than I would have chosen. The table moved and I was slowly pulled into the tunnel. I panicked. The tube was so narrow my shoulders were practically brushing both sides. I saw black dots and my breath started coming out in short gasps. My hands came up and I was clawing at the top of the tunnel. I felt like I was in a casket. A casket? It flashed before me. I was trapped in a white silk-lined casket and scratching frantically to get out. Suddenly I couldn't breathe, my chest constricted, I was wondering how much air I had left. I started scratching harder at the tube as it was closing in around me, trying to claw my way out. I felt the table move and I was pulled out of the tunnel.

"Calm down Mrs. Manoso." A man ordered into my headphones.

"I can't." I cried out as I yanked the headphones from my ears.

The tears spilled uncontrolled down my face. I turned to look for the man. I wanted to see someone. Anyone. He was sitting at a console behind a Plexiglas wall. He let out a deep sigh before he stood up. He finally removed his headphones and tossed them onto the console. He slowly made his way to my side. He looked frustrated. I felt guilty for messing up the test, but I felt completely out of control.

"To do this test you must lay perfectly still. That means you can't move at all. If you want your arms up, you can lay them still above your head, but you can't touch the top or side of the machine while it is working." He explained.

He shook his head and walked away. Again he looked annoyed and I heard him mumble something to himself about me being difficult. I wanted to apologize. I wanted to promise him I would do as he asked. All I could think about was escaping. My breath was coming in short gasps and I couldn't get myself calm.

"Don't leave me alone. I am not going back in to that death trap." I yelled after him.

"It's okay. You need to relax." Daniel approached my left side taking off his headphones.

"I can't." I sniffled.

Daniel nodded and then patted my hand before he walked away. I heard the door open and then close. I waited and quickly heard the door again. I turned to my right side and stared directly into the brown eyes of my husband.

"What? Why?" I choked out.

He didn't answer me. He just kissed my forehead and gave me that almost smile. I watched Daniel move around and he handed my husband a set of headphones. Daniel smiled at me and patted my shoulder before he slid the headphones back onto my ears. I heard the voice in my headphones telling me I was going back in. I glanced at Manoso with fear in my eyes. He took my hand and pulled it to his lips and kissed it gently.

He didn't say a word. He ran his hand down from my hand to my foot as I slowly slid back into the machine. I kept my eyes locked on his until I couldn't see them anymore. I could only see the top of the white tube. I started to panic all over again, my breathing coming in short tight breaths. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine being anywhere else. The voice instructed me to raise my arms over my head and not move. Suddenly I felt trapped, confined, there wasn't enough air to drag into my lungs and my eyes flew open and I began to inch myself back down, out of the tube.

"Mrs. Manoso you have to hold still." Came the voice over the headphones, but I couldn't breathe. I felt like I was dying in here.

Suddenly I heard a loud voice, "Babe" and I looked up.

There standing at the end of my white sarcophagus, was my husband reaching out to take my hand. Anxiously, I squirmed back up the tube to reach him and take his hand. His hand was warm in mine. I held on tight hoping he wouldn't let me go.

"Mr. Manoso, you can't have your hand in the machine. If you do you become part of the scan meaning you have to stand perfectly still not moving a muscle for the entire forty-five-minute scan. If you move the entire scan is ruined and we will have to start over from the beginning with you out of the room."

It was as if I could hear the man rolling his eyes through the headphones. I was only focused on my husband. My eyes locked with his. My right hand was desperately gripping his. I couldn't say the words. I couldn't ask this stranger to give me so much of his time. My hand was pleading with him to stay. I only hoped he could understand what I was trying to ask of him.

"I'm right here Babe. You're not stuck. You're not trapped. I'm right here with you. I'll be here the whole time."

The MRI technician came on over the headphones. "If everyone can now stay perfectly still we will begin."

Suddenly the music was blaring loudly in my headphones. But all I saw was him. Those deep brown eyes I could melt into. His touch and eyes were calming to me. His mouth was moving but I couldn't make out anything he was saying. The machine was so loud. It was as if we were in the middle of a construction site. I just kept my focus on his eyes and the feel of my hand in his.

It was so confusing to me. How differently I felt with my husband and the cupcake man. I was really creeped out by my last experience with that man. But for my husband, I felt nothing but comfort. Well comfort coupled with some excitement. I wondered how I could have been in a relationship with the Cupcake guy Morelli.

I closed my eyes. There was Morelli standing before me, hands on hips. I listened as he spoke. 'There is a you and a me and sometimes we are together but there is no us'

What the hell did that mean?

Soon the table was moving out of the tunnel. The voice in the headphones announced that I was done. It was such a relief to be out of the tunnel. When Manoso released my hand I immediately felt the emptiness.

Daniel removed my headphones before he and the blonde moved me back onto the bed. I closed my eyes and tried to relax. I was exhausted. The panic and the hyperventilating had really tired me out. The bed rails were pulled back up. I could hear them releasing the breaks and then suddenly my hand was warm again. I opened my eyes to find that handsome face once again staring down at me with those warm brown eyes.

"Thank you." I told my husband as he walked by my side right side.

"Anytime." He smiled

He moved away briefly as they pulled my bed through the door to my room. He quickly resumed his post and I looked to my right. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I never even heard Daniel and the blonde leave the room but I knew we were alone. He reached out and rubbed the back of his hand against my cheek.

"I don't know what to call you. In my head I switch between Manoso and my husband." I described my errant thinking.

"That's something we need to discuss. My name is Ricardo Carlos Manoso. My family calls me Carlos and everyone else calls me by my street name Ranger." He told me.

"What do I call you?" I asked.

"You call me Ranger because we worked together. In Hawaii you have called me Carlos several times." He explained.

"How's your pain level?" Daniel interrupted.

I hadn't even heard him come back into the room. I seemed to be focused on only one person. I tore my eyes away and focused on Daniel.

"I'm okay." I nodded.

"On a scale of one to ten?" he asked.

"Six." I admitted.

"Do you want something now?" he asked.

"I'm fine." I assured him.

"Hit the button if you need me." He smiled before he left the room.

The room was silent once Daniel left. I thought Ranger would leave when we were back in the room but he stayed at my side. I wanted to ask him about us. I needed to know about our time in Hawaii. Being alone wasn't helping me to remember anything. I decided to ask him about what had just happened.

"Why did I feel like I was in a casket?" I asked him.

"You were trapped in one before." He explained.

"How? Why?" This was confusing.

"You are an excellent bounty hunter. You could use more training physically but your intuition, your Spidey sense as you call it, is amazing." He brilliantly smiled at me.

This smile was different. It was a full smile of bright white teeth. His smile lit up the room like a light bulb. I liked it. I liked to see him smile like that and I wanted more. It was as if he was putting out 200 watts of light. I thought back to what he said.

"But the cupcake man said…" I tilted my head to see him better.

"Cupcake man?" He couldn't hide the humor in his voice.

"That other guy. That's what I've been calling him in my head. What was his name?" I questioned.

"Detective Joe Morelli." Ranger chuckled.

"Yeah. He said I was terrible." I reminded him.

"You go after the low bond skips. These are people that commit smaller crimes and offenses. They are not professionals. Most of them throw food or trash at you rather than aim a gun at you." He squeezed my hand.

"The casket?" I probed.

"You have helped both myself and Morelli solve cases. You stumble upon things that everyone else has missed. Of course, when you are close to catching the bad guys they try to get rid of you. It was a bad funeral director that put you in that casket." He elaborated.

 _I suddenly got a flash of something and closed my eyes. A cabinet opened and I fell into Ranger's arms. He looked worried and scared. He held me in his arms and took deep breaths. We were then standing around with others. I was mad at him and then he said please and I gave in to whatever he was asking. The next scene showed me in the passenger seat of an SUV. A big black man was showing me a picture of a cat. He told me he liked me._

I opened my eyes and saw Ranger studying my face.

"You saved me. I was in a cabinet. I hate small places. A huge black man showed me his cat." I clarified my thoughts.

Ranger chuckled. "That was Tank."

"Tank?" I asked.

"He's a guy who works for me. My second in command." Ranger told me.

"He likes me." I smiled.

"All of my men like you." He rubbed the back of my hand.

"All of your men?" I asked.

"Yes. At my company you are well respected for your skills." He nodded

"I thought I was a bounty hunter." I stated.

"You are. There are times when it's slow for you. You work for me part-time doing research. You make it easier for the guys to find their skips and a few times you have saved their lives." He explained

"Wow. That sounds good." I was surprised.

"And you also did distractions." He smiled.

"Distractions?" I asked.

"You dress up and go into a bar, club, or whatever and talk the skip into leaving with you." He told me.

"How do I do that?" I asked.

"You dress sexy and do lots of flirting." He smirked.

"Wow. Okay, so distractions, research and bond enforcement. I do all of that but I am still broke?" I leaned back against the pillow.

"If you would work for me full-time you would be fine." He began.

He looked away from me and shook his head before a slow smile spread across his face. He looked down into my eyes and studied me for a few seconds before he continued.

"You are fiercely independent. You would never accept help or a hand-out when it comes to money. You work your ass off and you always find a way." He told me.

That made me proud and from the look on his face he was proud of me too. We were both quiet for a few minutes as we thought about what he had said. My mind began to wonder and I suddenly had so much more to ask him.

"My family? Do I have any kids? Parents? Siblings?" I asked.

"One son named Rex." He smiled.

"Rex? How old is he?" I grew nervous.

"I can't tell how old a hamster is, but you've had him for at least three years." He told me.

I burst out laughing. "A hamster?"

"Yes Babe. You consider yourself a hamster mommy." He informed me.

"That sounds about right." I smiled.

"Your parents live in Chambersburg. That's where you grew up. Your grandma lives with them. You have one sister Valerie and three nieces." He stated.

"Am I close with them?" I quickly asked.

"You have dinner there once a week." He told me.

 _I closed my eyes and heard a loud noise. I was at a table and covered in roast chicken. 'ain't that a pip'. I saw the smiley face of who I assumed was my grandmother. There was a man at the head of the table muttering 'crazy old bat'. That made me laugh. I looked around the table and found an older woman with my eyes crossing herself._

 _'I have a mother that shoots chickens and a daughter that's not married. When are you going to settle down? No one is going to want to marry a bounty hunter. Nancy Russo's daughter would never work as a bounty hunter. Nancy Russo's daughter has a nice office job at the personal products plant. You're not getting any younger.' She told me. I opened my eyes._

"My mother... " I trailed off.

"Yeah, you and she disagree a lot." Ranger told me.

I looked away from him and stared out the window. I could hear the echo of her voice telling me about other people's daughters. Telling me about what a screw up I was. She told me about all of the phone calls she got about me. I felt my heartbeat begin to pick up.

 _I was on a porch in front of a house. My mother stood in front of me, blocking the door. I had a suitcase in my hand and tears in my eyes. She had her hands on her hips and she was shaking her head at me. 'Turn around and go right back to your husband.' She told me._

 _'He cheated on me. I found him. He was on the dining room table with Joyce Barnhardt' I cried._

 _'It's a woman's job to satisfy her husband. If she isn't doing her job it's only normal for him to seek satisfaction somewhere else' she informed me._

 _'Mom, you can't be serious. We haven't even been married for two months.' I had tears streaming down my face._

 _'Go home and make it work. I am not going to be embarrassed by you. Everyone will know you can't satisfy your husband. Do you know how hard it will be for you to get someone else after that?' she shook her head in disgust._

 _'I don't want to be with a man who cheats on me.' I told her._

 _'You're not welcome here. Go back to your husband and satisfy him properly so he has no reason to cheat.' She went back into the house and locked the door._

"Babe" I heard a deep voice.

I opened my eyes and realized I had tears streaming down my face. My husband wiped them away and kissed the tip of my nose. He waited for the tears to stop falling before he spoke.

"What's wrong? What were you thinking about?" he tilted his head.

"I was married before?" I asked him.

"Yes, your ex-husband is a lawyer named Dickie Orr." He nodded

"Dickie? What kind of name is Dickie?" I scrunched my eyebrows together.

"He's not even worth remembering. He didn't treat you like a husband should. The man has no morals and no loyalty." He told me

"He cheated on me." I announced.

Ranger nodded.

"I couldn't keep him satisfied." I stated.

"What? What are you talking about?" he pulled back and looked at me in confusion.

"My mother. She wouldn't let me come home. I only had a suitcase. Did I go back?" I asked for more information.

"As far as I know you left him the minute he cheated. You didn't ask for anything in your divorce. You did everything on your own. You had a job and then got laid off. You took care of yourself." He told me.

"Tell me about our marriage. Tell me about how I ended up here. Morelli says I have no money. How could I afford a vacation?" I ordered.

"You exposed a serial killer. He was stalking you. He planned to take you on a trip. He died and you got the gift cards he bought in your name. You used them to purchase a vacation package to Hawaii. I think you invited Morelli." He shrugged.

"Hmm" I considered what he said. "A serial killer stalked me?"

"You lead an interesting life Babe." Ranger rubbed my arm with his left hand.

"Sounds like it." I nodded.

"Morelli's right. You called me and told me you spotted a skip. Simon Ruguzzi. Better known as The Rug." Ranger frowned.

"The rug?" I asked.

"Yes and his wife Tootsie. That's actually who you saw first. You saw the wife at the airport when you arrived. You tried to follow and realized they were in a married couple's only resort. Also, you didn't have the proper paper work to apprehend him. So, you called me." He reached out for my hand.

"And you came?" I asked.

"Jumped on the next plane." He nodded.

I smiled at him. For some reason I was not surprised. It felt right that he dropped everything to come and help me. The man had a business to run, but he made time for me just because I asked him for help. For some reason I felt like he did that a lot.

"I brought you rings and we checked into the resort." He rubbed the back of my right hand with his thumb.

"They're really beautiful." I smiled.

I pulled on his left hand and brought it up to my eyes for inspection. His ring was thin and plain platinum. I noticed a small black line through the center of the ring.

"You're still wearing yours?" I questioned.

He nodded but didn't speak. We sat in silence for a moment but he offered me no explanation. I released his hand and he brought it back to mine. He intertwined my right fingers together with his left. His right hand came up and pushed a curl away from my face. He gently moved it behind my ear. I felt a shiver run through my body and suddenly felt the need to focus on the story again.

"Did we get him?" I asked.

"No" Ranger shook his head.

"What happened?" I pushed.

"We hung out." He informed me.

"Hung out?" I questioned.

"Yes." Was his only answer.

"How long?" I inquired.

"We have been here for a little over a week." He answered me.

"How long were we at the resort?" I asked.

"We were there for seven days." He told me.

"Come on Ranger. This is like pulling teeth. Tell me what is going on. There is obviously something missing." I sighed.

"We are very close. We were very close during this trip. We hung out for several days on the sixth day we decided to leave our bungalow and look for the Rug." He told me.

Very close? Morelli said Manoso was nothing to me and now he tells me we are very close? Clearly, he meant something to me. I must have had some level of trust to call him to help me. To stay with him for a week and fake a marriage with him had to mean we were at the least very good friends. I still had the sense there was something more. He was holding back.

"Before that? We didn't look?" I was confused.

"Before that we didn't look." He confirmed.

"Come on Carlos, talk to me." I turned towards him.

An emotion washed over his face when I called his name. I couldn't tell what he was thinking but I watched as his eyes grew dark with desire.

"We looked on the first day. Then we spent time together and decided to look again on the sixth day." He answered me.

I blew out a deep breath. "We are going to come back to the subject of 'hanging out'. So, on the sixth day what happened?"

"There was a vow renewal ceremony on the beach. We found out Tootsie and the Rug would be there so we went." He paused.

"Keep talking." I pushed.

"We got caught up in the moment. I didn't try to trick you Stephanie." He assured me.

"Trick me?" I asked.

"When we got there, you didn't want to apprehend them during the ceremony. We participated in the vow renewal. You thought it was too romantic to take them in until after the ceremony. You always show great compassion for others." He ran his right hand along the side of my face.

"We participated?" I questioned.

"There were several couples participating. It was like a group service." He sighed.

"What was I wearing?" I was curious.

"You were wearing a short white sundress. You thought it would be perfect on the beach." He looked away from me. "You looked so beautiful."

"I love the beach. I figured that one out quickly." I placed my left hand on top of his.

"The ceremony was real Babe. It was officiated by a licensed minister." He informed me.

"We are really married?" I asked shocked as my voice became squeaky.

******************************Thank you*************************

Thank you so much for all of your reviews. Your words are what keeps pushing me forward and keep me excited about writing this story.

Thanks to Jenn for your awesome editing work and our MRI discussions.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3-

"Yes. They dropped off the certificate at our bungalow before you left." He explained.

"I left?" I was confused.

"One of the staff knocked on the door and handed you the envelope with the certificate. You closed the door. I came out from the shower to see what it was and there was another knock on the door. Morelli came. You opened the door in my t-shirt and boxers." He hid a smile.

"What were you wearing?" I asked him.

"A towel." He stated.

"That's not good if he thought I was his fiancée." I acknowledged.

"No, it wasn't good. He exploded and there was lots of yelling and arm waving. Then while fists were flying you ducked out." He elaborated.

"Is that when the accident happened?" I asked.

"I noticed you were gone and I ran out to find you. Our rental car was missing. I took Morelli's rental car and went after you. By the time I caught up the car was already off the road, in the ditch on its side." He rubbed my hand.

I patted his hand and he leaned in close. I thought he was going to kiss my lips. He moved toward my neck and buried his face in my hair. He nuzzled against me and then planted a quick kiss on the top of my head.

 _I closed my eyes. I saw his blank face. We were in a bedroom and he was speaking 'I carry two guns and a knife. I'm not exactly marriage material.' My eyes snapped open and I stared at him._

"Two guns and a knife?" I asked him.

"You remember?" he was surprised.

"You said you weren't marriage material." I told him.

"I wasn't then." He explained.

"And now?" I pushed.

"Now you are Stephanie Manoso." He shrugged.

"I assume cupcake man doesn't know this." I stated.

"No one knows outside of the people who participated in the ceremony. By the way you might want to stop calling him cupcake man." He chuckled.

"Then he needs to stop calling me Cupcake. What the hell? It's creepy. What if fish sticks were my favorite food and every time I saw him I called him fish stick?" I rolled my eyes.

"I don't think cupcakes are his favorite food." Ranger looked away.

"Huh?" I was confused.

"You'll have to talk to him about that." Ranger spoke quietly.

"Hey. What about a marriage license?" I asked him.

"You can file them on-line. Hector filed it before I even arrived, just in case." He held a blank face.

"Who's Hector?" I asked.

"He's my go to for computers and electronics. He only speaks Spanish but somehow the two of you are close." He smiled.

"Do I speak Spanish?" I wondered out loud as I tried to think of Spanish words and phrases.

"No." he smirked.

"Whew." I moved the back of my hand across my forehead. When I opened my eyes Ranger was smiling and shaking his head.

"Babe, you never disappoint." He told me

I smiled and we both sat there quietly for a moment.

"Did you know the vow renewal was real?" I asked him. "Why did we participate?"

"It was just all part of our cover." He stated.

"Our cover? Couldn't we just have stood back and watched?" I asked.

"Babe, we were standing in a crowd of couples there to renew their vows. You seemed like you wanted to participate. I asked if you were sure if you wanted to do it and you smiled at me and nodded." He spelled it out.

"So, you've never actually asked me if I wanted to marry you?" I clarified.

He just looked at me. "Babe."

"And I never actually said 'Yes'." I continued.

"Babe," he hesitated. "We both said 'I Do' and at the time we both meant it."

"Meant it?" I asked

He gave me the same blank face I saw in my vision. I decided not to push anymore right now. I let out a deep sigh and he squeezed my hand.

"WHAT IS THIS?" a loud voice yelled.

I jumped and then turned towards the door and saw one very pissed off Morelli.

"I thought you wanted space." He doubted me.

"I did. I do." I shook my head.

"Then why is he here?" he demanded as he moved towards me.

"I was outside the door waiting and she needed me for the MRI." Ranger explained to him.

"Needed you?" he rolled his eyes as he stood beside my bed.

"I was afraid. The tunnel. It felt like a casket." I admitted.

"You remembered Stiva?" he asked.

"Stiva?" I was curious.

"The funeral director." My husband explained.

"You could have called me, Cupcake." Morelli came to my left side.

"Can you please stop calling me that?" I asked him.

"I've always called you that." He looked hurt.

"At least tell me what it means. It just sounds…too sweet." I tried to explain.

"And good to eat." He smirked.

 _There was a sudden pain in my head and I closed my eyes. Soft and sweet and good to eat. I saw those words on a wall. I was younger. I was in a dining room with an older lady who I now know to be my mother. She was yelling at me. She called me a slut and a disappointment. She grounded me for the summer. She yelled at me for having sex with Morelli. Losing my virginity before I was married. She continued to rant about the Morelli boys_.

My eyes flew open and I glared at him.

"You wrote about me? You wrote about me in a bathroom?" I questioned painfully.

"That was a long time ago Cupcake." He smiled.

"You were my first." I remembered.

"Yep, that would be me." He said proudly. He slid his thumbs into his belt loops and rocked back on his heels with a satisfied smile on his face.

 _I squinted my eyes and then let them close again. I was on the green patterned, hard, cold linoleum floor of a store. A bakery. There were tall display cases all around. He was on top of me. He was unbuttoning my jeans. I wanted him to stop but I couldn't find the words. I kept thinking I should be happy. Morelli was hot and he had the best ass in Trenton. All the girls talked about him. All the girls wanted him to ask them out and now he was here with me. He wanted me. The next thing I felt was pain and he was grunting. I put my hands against his chest and pushed gently but he just kept going. He didn't seem to notice anything I was doing. He was moving inside me but all I felt was pain and panic. Then he was done. He got up and smiled. Told me 'See you later cupcake' and he was gone._

"How could you do that to me?" I asked Morelli angrily.

"Do what?" he was confused.

"Take my virginity on the floor of the bakery." I stated.

I vaguely heard Ranger beside me taking deep breaths.

"I gave you a memory to last a lifetime." He winked.

"I don't think I wanted it." I bit my lower lip.

"Of course, you wanted it. Every girl in our high school wanted it." He bent over, kissed my cheek and took my free hand in his. He smiled down at me.

"This is so confusing." I shook my head.

"So I was a ladies man. I admit it. I went through a very wild phase. I am not that same man. I grew up. I served in the Navy. I am a damn good cop. I am committed to you now. I don't screw around anymore." He stroked my face.

"Now? Anymore?" I asked.

"I'm a Cupcake man now." He winked.

"And before?" I was curious.

"Come on Steph. You don't want gory details. What matters is that I am one hundred percent committed to you and only you." He assured me.

"Have you always been?" I slightly pulled away.

"I never claimed to be a monk." He reminded me.

"I'm still a bit confused." I admitted.

"Look, there is nothing confusing here. You are my fiancée. We have known each other our whole lives. Everyone knows we belong together. You will understand more when you talk to your parents. As soon as the doc allows it I am taking you home." Morelli informed me.

"Where's home?" I asked.

"Trenton, New Jersey." He informed me.

"I live with you?" I asked him.

"No. You live in a tiny apartment that a six-year-old could break into." Morelli shook his head.

"Break in?" I wondered who would want to break into my apartment.

"Yes." He nodded "You have stalkers and psychos…" he paused and his eyes shot to Ranger "breaking in all of the time because of your shitty job."

"So why do I stay there?" I was curious.

"Sometimes you live with me." He shrugged.

"Sometimes?" Confused again.

"Until we argue. You are very independent and stubborn. This makes living with you sometimes challenging." He winked.

"What do we argue about?" I asked.

"The last time you left we argued about bread. You used the last of it and didn't buy a new loaf." He explained.

"That's stupid." I smiled.

"It was thoughtless of you." He corrected me.

"So, I go to your place when a stalker or bad guys are after me?" I asked him to clarify.

He didn't answer, he looked past me and glared at Manoso. I turned my body to face Ranger.

"I come to you." I stated.

Manoso nodded. "Yes."

"You protect me?" I asked him.

"I try." he smiled.

"His life puts you in more danger. Your association with him puts you in harm's way." Morelli stated.

I looked at my husband and his jaw was tight. I could tell this statement really bothered him and felt compelled to console him. Ranger was already holding my right hand but I wanted to give him more contact. I pulled my left hand from Morelli's and used it to rub Ranger's forearm. I watched as his jaw relaxed and he tipped up the corners of his mouth. I looked into his eyes and lost all train of thought.

"We need to get you out of here." Morelli spoke.

His words broke me away from my stupor and I pulled both hands away from Ranger. I pressed the button beside my bed. Daniel soon came in. He greeted me with his usual smile and I couldn't help but return it.

"Am I free yet?" I asked.

"The doctor is on his way to discuss the results of your MRI." Daniel confirmed.

"Good. Once she is released, I can get her home where she belongs." Morelli nodded.

Morelli rubbed my shoulder and gently tugged at my arm. I moved my left hand back towards him and he gathered it into both of his. He kissed the top of it and I felt myself shutter at the touch of his lips. I looked into his whiskey colored eyes and felt myself smile. Then he looked down at the rings and he let out a quiet sigh.

"Good afternoon." The doctor smiled as he came into the room. He was wearing a white lab coat, blue striped tie, and blue slacks.

"Hello, Dr. McDonald." I greeted him.

"Your memory is improving already." He winked.

"Do you have the results of her test?" Morelli impatiently asked.

"I had a chance to go over them and I am happy with the results." He nodded.

"So, when can I get out of here?" I asked.

"We're keeping you here for the night. I want to properly monitor your recovery. You have a concussion on the left side of your brain. The swelling is still severe enough that we will need to wake you every few hours. If it looks good tomorrow you can be released but…" he trailed off.

"But what?" Morelli pushed.

"You can't fly anywhere right away." Dr. McDonald announced.

"What?" Morelli spat out.

"You need to stay on the island for at least five days. Then you can consider flying. There is too much swelling and pressure on your brain and I am concerned about what the change in air pressure while flying will do to you." The doctor explained.

"Five days?" Morelli was incredulous.

"What could happen?" I asked.

My husband pulled away from me and headed to the corner of the room. I watched him pull out his phone and speak in hushed tones. I looked back at the doctor and noticed the serious look on his kind face. He had salt and pepper hair with shining green eyes. He was an attractive man but didn't seem to smile a lot. I got the impression that he was no nonsense.

"There's the possibility of many physical complications including an aneurysm." The doctor told me.

"That's just a possibility though? Based on a hunch?" Morelli asked.

"I can't guarantee anything would or wouldn't happen during the flight. But you need to be monitored till tomorrow, and I cannot medically approve flying for five more days." The doctor was adamant.

"You think this is needed?" I asked him.

"It's the only way I would feel comfortable releasing you tomorrow. Otherwise I will have to recommend you stay in the hospital longer." The doctor nodded.

"Okay." I returned the nod.

"I can't stay here that long. I have to get back to work." Morelli squeezed my hand.

"It's okay. I understand. I can just stay in a motel near the airport." I paused and looked between my husband and the cupcake man.

"Do I have money for that?" I asked them.

"I just added five more days to our room." My husband announced as he rejoined us.

"No fucking way." Morelli glared.

"I have to go finish my rounds. Let Daniel know if you need me. Otherwise I will check on you in the morning before I sign your release papers." Dr. McDonald was in a hurry to leave.

"Wait." I called to his back.

"Yes?" He stopped and turned to face me.

"Dr. McDonald what about my memory? Why did I lose it? When will it return?" I asked him worriedly. If I could just remember, I would understand how these two men fit into my life.

"Mrs. Manoso when you were in the car accident you hit your head very hard. Your brain got bruised and is swelling. Memory loss from a head injury is tricky. There can be short term loss that should return in a few days to a few weeks. Usually once the swelling goes down it gets better." He explained.

"I should be able to remember everything in a few days?" I hoped.

"Well, they may come back a few at a time or all at once but they should come back. Permanent memory loss from your type of injury is very rare and would be unexpected." He answered my question.

"But it's possible? Possible for it to be permanent?" I choked.

"Anything's possible. This however is highly unlikely." He smiled.

"Is there anything I can do?" I begged.

"Talking about your life with those that know you well can sometimes help. Have any of your memories returned since you have been awake?" he inquired.

"There have been a few flashes usually triggered by something." I admitted.

"What flashes?" Morelli interrupted but I waved him off.

"Yes, that's normal. The biggest thing is to stay relaxed and stress free. Let your brain heal and your memories are soon to follow. Don't worry about them or become upset because they aren't coming fast enough. You may have to go home and be in familiar surroundings before they all return." I watched as the doctor glanced into the faces of the two men at my bedside. He took a deep breath before he spoke.

"Let me remind you both that stress will hinder a speedy and complete recovery." He admonished them.

"Thank you." I found myself whispering.

He left the room and there was silence for a full minute. Morelli grabbed my hand and I could feel his pulsing with a strong emotion. Hurt? Disappointment? Rage? I didn't know him well enough to be sure of what he was feeling. I only knew he was on the edge of losing control of his temper.

"Don't do this Cupcake." Morelli pleaded as he pulled my hand to his chest.

"Do what?" I asked.

"Don't stay here with Manoso." He explained.

"I don't understand what the big deal is if I have already been here with him for a week." I shrugged.

"There may be someone on this island after you. Manoso will put you in danger. And when he is not risking your life he will be trying to get in your pants. Look Cupcake, I have to put my foot down. I forbid it." Morelli glared.

"You forbid it?" I questioned him.

"Yes. You leave me with no choice. You obviously don't know what's best for you. I am forced to make these important decisions to protect you." He tried to explain.

"Make decisions for me?" I nearly yelled.

"Stress free," Ranger spoke under his breath.

"I don't think I need any decisions made for me." I spoke calmly

"You don't have all of the information. How can you make any decisions?" he asked.

"He's my friend. I called him to help me. I must trust him." I spelled it out to Morelli.

"Stephanie please." Morelli pleaded.

"Please what? What do you want me to do?" I demanded.

"Come home with me." He pleaded.

"But the doctor said…" I tried to remind him.

"He said he recommends. There is no guarantee that anything bad will happen to you. I am sure you would be fine." Morelli smiled.

"Morelli." Ranger growled. "Don't let your jealousy put Steph in danger. Don't risk her life just to keep her away from me."

"Then you come home with me. Leave her here for the five days. She will be fine in that big resort." Morelli offered.

Ranger shook his head. "I'm not leaving her alone."

Morelli released my hand. He walked away from the bed and paced. I felt Ranger settle into the chair beside me and now Morelli was the only one on his feet. I watched as he pinched the top of his nose and rubbed between his eyes. Suddenly he stopped. He placed his hands on his hips and glared at me.

"I won't allow this. You can't do this to me." He told me.

"What? Are you back to this again? No one makes decisions for me." I reminded him.

"Every single time you are involved in any event it's a fuck up. Leaving you here when there is possibly someone after you is a mistake. Crazy things always happen around you. You will probably blow up every car on this island. And then cause an earthquake that will sink it." He spat out.

I studied him. I was waiting for him to laugh or smile but he didn't. Was this guy for real? Did he really think all of that could happen? His loud tone was making my headache worse. I wanted him to leave but didn't want to hurt him by asking him to. I was confused as to where this man fit into my life. I could see now why Ranger hadn't yet told him about the renewal service. I could just imagine the yelling that would create.

"What makes you think someone is after me? It could have just been a regular old car accident." I brushed him off.

"There is nothing regular about anything that happens to you." He stated.

"Listen to me, I'll be fine. Five days and then I will be home." I tried to reassure him.

"Fine. Obviously you aren't going to listen to reason. Obviously, your fiancée's opinion means nothing to you." he threw his hands up in the air.

"Calm down." I ordered.

"I'm trying Cupcake. You don't make it easy on a man. I didn't even stop to buy Maalox." He shook his head.

"Deal with it." I stated.

"I guess I have no choice." He finally relented.

He came back to my bedside and kissed my cheek. He pulled back and glanced at Manoso. His eyes squinted into a glare that made me nervous.

"I am going to grab some food and then I will be back. I'm staying for the night and expect you to be gone when I return." Morelli told him.

Ranger nodded and Morelli kissed me on the cheek again before he stormed out of the room. I let out a breath of air and then looked over at Ranger. He still had a tight hold of my hand. I glanced at our hands together and then looked up at him. I couldn't help curling up on my side facing him. I felt the need to be closer to him.

"What now? Are you going to tell him?" I asked.

"Do you want me to?" He returned my question with his own.

I thought for a moment and then shook my head.

"No. Not yet I don't want him to yell anymore. It hurts my head too much and I already have a throbbing headache." I replied.

"He does that a lot." Ranger chuckled.

"Why do I let him?" I half whispered.

"I wish I knew." He quickly answered.

"When are you leaving?" I asked him as he stood.

"After dinner." He told me as we heard a knock at the door.

"Enter." Ranger spoke with his deep voice.

"Delivery for Manoso." Was announced by a small voice.

A young kid entered the room carrying white bags. He placed them down on the table and I read his shirt. 'Little Village Noodle House'. Ranger took the receipt and paid for the food. The kid glanced in his hand and a big smile spread across his face. He looked up to Ranger and nodded his thanks before leaving the room.

Ranger dug into the bags and made me a plate of fried rice, beef with broccoli, spare ribs and sweet and sour chicken. He topped it all off with an egg roll. I positioned the bed so I was sitting up higher and he moved a rolling table over to me and refilled my water glass.

"Is this what I like?" I asked him as I took the fork in my hand.

He nodded his reply and settled down beside me with his own plate. I glanced at his selection. He had steamed brown rice with lots of vegetables.

"How do you know what I like and why do you eat like that?" I asked him.

"We've dined together before. What do you mean 'like that'?" he asked.

"So healthy." I squished up my nose.

"The body is a temple Babe." He smiled.

"It doesn't look like it has any flavor." I guessed.

"Lots of ways to add flavor to your life." He assured me.

I took a bite from one of the tender spare ribs and found myself moaning at the sweet taste. Once I cleaned all of the meat from the bone I glanced over to see Ranger's progress. His fork was frozen mid-way to his mouth and he was staring at me through dark hooded eyes.

"What?" I asked him.

"You still know how to enjoy your food." He acknowledged.

I shrugged and continued. This was so much better than the jello and soup Daniel had tried to offer me earlier. I was starving and guessed I hadn't eaten since last night. Fifteen minutes later, my stomach was full and there wasn't much left on my plate. I laid back against the pillow as Daniel walked into the room.

"Smells good in here. Feeling better?" he asked.

"Uhm." I bit into my lower lip.

"Headache?" he asked.

"Yes." I quietly admitted.

"Pain level?" he moved closer.

"Eight." I told him.

"Be right back." He told me.

"Babe"

Ranger took my hand and gently rubbed the side of my face with the back of his other one. I closed my eyes and tried to relax under his touch. My head was throbbing and the nausea had returned.

"Stephanie." Daniel called for my attention.

I opened my eyes and looked at him.

"Don't swallow this pill. Let it melt in your mouth and it will work faster." He carefully handed me a little plastic cup with a single, small white pill inside. I looked at Ranger and he nodded before I took it.

I don't know why I looked at Ranger. I liked Daniel and trusted him. I couldn't spend anytime dwelling on those thoughts, because currently my head was throbbing and my stomach was turning. I closed my eyes and tasted the bitterness of the pill as it sat on my tongue slowly melting.

With my headache dissipating into tolerable levels and my stomach settling I felt myself falling back asleep.

Suddenly, I felt someone shaking me as I slowly climbed back towards consciousness.

"Hi, My name is Cheryl. I will be your night shift nurse. Sorry to wake you sweetie but it's time for your check-in. Do you remember your name?" I heard a new voice.

My eyes squinted against the bright light as I tried to find the face that matched the voice. It was a woman with grey hair and warm brown eyes. Her skin was tan and her smile bright. She smiled at me and waited for my response.

"Stephanie Manoso." I answered.

"Plum" I was corrected.

I turned my head too quickly to glance at Morelli who was seated at my left side and immediately suffered for the quick motion.

"My head is killing me and I don't want to argue with you Cupcake man." I moaned.

"Cupcake man?" he asked.

"Do you know where you are?" the kind woman asked me.

"Hawaii. The hospital. Queen's Medical Center." I answered her.

"What is today?"

"Sunday." I answered.

"Actually, it's after midnight so it's Monday now. Are you in pain?" she guessed as I nodded.

"On a scale of 1 to 10 what is your pain level?" She questioned.

"Seven." I admitted.

I had barely whispered my answer. I don't know why but I was embarrassed. I didn't want anyone to hear me. I especially didn't want to Cupcake man to hear me. To me it seemed like being in pain was admitting to a weakness. I figured he already thought I was weak enough without giving him something else to add to his ammunition against me.

She left the room and my fingers traveled to my temples. I rubbed in circles, trying to force the pain away. She quickly returned and pressed a shot of something into my IV line. I felt the warmth flow through my veins and forced myself to relax against the pillow. I felt a hand take mine and I drifted off.

******************************Thank you*************************

Thank you so much for all of your reviews. You seriously don't know how much they really mean to me.

Thanks to Jenn for your editing and continued awesomeness.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4-

I woke up to kisses touching my cheek. Lips were slowly sliding down to my neck. I let my head turn to the side exposing more of my neck. A smile crept slowly across my face. I felt the top of my gown being pulled forward and my eyes shot open. I turned to see who it was and found Morelli wiggling his eyebrows at me. I grabbed the top of my gown and held it against me as I wiggled away from him.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"Trying to see if I could get you to remember." He winked at me.

"Remember?" I was confused.

"Like the doctor said. I was trying to help you remember some of our favorite things to do together." His smile was plastered to his face.

"The gown?" I asked.

He shrugged "It's something I've always done."

"You pull my top out and peek inside?" I asked.

"And you love it." He smiled and kissed my lips.

"I love it?" I was skeptical.

"Always have." He winked.

I turned my head away. "It's creepy."

Morelli laughed "No it's sexy."

"Thank you for staying with me last night." I tried to change the subject.

"I love you Cupcake." He kissed my nose.

"Thanks." I said it more like a question.

He smiled. He didn't seem at all annoyed that I didn't say 'I love you too'. I closed my eyes and I was on the phone with Morelli. He told me he loved me and I hesitated. I finally answered him with I like you a lot and he called me a goof. Then I saw another scene with him.

 _"Next time I fall in love it's going to be with someone who isn't an expert in fibbing." He said._  
 _"You're in love with me?" I answered._  
 _"You didn't know that?" He looked surprised._  
 _"I did, but it's nice to hear." I shrugged._  
 _"Scares the hell out of me." He smirked._

I looked to the face that was in front of me in my hospital room.

"You love me?" I asked.

"Yeah Cupcake. I thought that was pretty obvious. You love me too by the way." He added.

"I tell you?" I asked.

"You're not exactly one to share your feelings like that. I tell you I love you and you say 'me too'. It's what we do." He explained.

"I guess." I shrugged and he laughed.

"That's my girl." He winked.

"I really don't say it?" His response confused me.

"That's not you." He explained.

"I don't say 'I love you' ever?" I asked.

"Once or twice." He told me.

"Oh." I was surprised.

"I told you, you say 'me too'. It's the same thing." He announced.

"I'm somewhat immature I gather?" I asked.

He laughed. "We're both a little immature emotionally."

"That sucks." I pronounced.

"Just so you know I would call this an on again stage." He winked.

Oh my God. Now this was annoying. How presumptuous of him. Yeah he was hot and he had a fine ass, but his cockiness was a bit overbearing. I didn't want to be 'on' in any relationship. I still had to figure out what the heck was happening in my life. I was married and needed to figure out what the hell I was going to do about it. I can't be in a relationship with him when I am married to someone else, even if neither one of us thought it was real.

"Uhm Joe…I don't think so." I bit my lower lip.

"Oh come on Steph don't pull this shit on me." He glared.

"I just need some time. I'd like to get my memory back and I need to heal. Can't you understand that?" I tried to explain.

"Whatever." He sighed.

"This is all so confusing. Please don't get upset." I pleaded.

"How do you expect me to feel? I am about to lose you." He sounded wounded.

"I'm right here." I reassured him.

"I'm sorry." he grabbed my hand.

"Do you always get angry so quickly?" I asked.

He chuckled. "We both do. It's the Italian temper."

"Oh." I didn't like it.

"Just watch out for Manoso please Steph. He is dangerous and he will do anything and say anything to get in your pants." He warned.

"You really think he's dangerous? I can't believe he's like that." I asked him.

He pulled my hand to his lips and kissed it. He brought his other hand up and played with a strand of my hair. He wasn't angry anymore. His anger had switched off like a light switch. His eyes were soft and filled with love. I could read the emotion all over his face, he loved me. I knew I felt something for him. I just wasn't sure what exactly these feelings were. He leaned forward and rested his head on my chest.

"I just worry about you. You have a tendency to attract the wrong kind of people into your life. One of your best friends is a former prostitute. You have a cranky little person for a friend who crashes at your house whenever he needs a place to stay. You're good friends with a tall drag queen who is straight." He chuckled.

"Sounds interesting. That's quite a group of characters." I smiled.

"I haven't even begun to mention all of your regular skips." He spoke in a hushed tone.

I placed my hand on the top of his head. His hair was soft and thick. I found my fingers brushing through it.

"Mmm" he moaned.

"I'm sorry I can't remember and I don't want to hurt you. I just don't remember our relationship. I don't remember Ranger being dangerous. I do get flashes of memories and I do sense that I am close to both of you. I just don't understand in what capacity." I told him.

"Cupcake I just want you to remember how much you love me." He admitted.

"I hear you." I assured him.

"You have no idea how hard this is on me." He sighed as he sat up.

"It's hard on me too Cupcake ma…Morelli…Joe." I didn't know what I was supposed to call him.

"Joe. You call me Joe. That Cupcake man shit has to go." He rolled his eyes.

"Okay Joe." I didn't want to piss him off.

"I hate leaving you here like this." He told me.

He leaned in and kissed my lips. He leaned his forehead against mine and sighed. We stayed like this for a minute unmoving. He felt comfortable to me. In a best friend kid of way? In a brotherly way?

"Do me a favor?" he asked.

"What?" I questioned.

He pulled away and looked into my eyes. He studied my face for a moment.

"Don't sleep with him." He whispered.

"What do you mean?" I asked

"Don't have sex with Manoso. Just wait please. Don't make any major decisions just yet." He pleaded.

"You think I would sleep around?" I was shocked.

"I think he has a way of lowering your defenses. I think you have this bullshit going on in your brain that you owe him something." He was now speaking calmly.

"Why would I think I owe him anything?" I asked.

"You call and he runs in to save the day." He explained.

"Okay. I promise." I agreed.

"Thank you." He kissed me.

"Sure." I smiled.

"Gotta go catch my plane." He explained.

"Be safe." I squeezed his hand.

He pulled away from me and stood at my side. He set his hands on his hips and just gazed down at me. He had a sad look on his face but forced a smile.

"I'm going to miss you Cupcake." He told me.

I forced a smile and nodded. I really didn't know what to say. I didn't know if I would miss him.

"I'll see you in five days." He told me.

"See you when I get back to Jersey." I assured him.

He shook his head and turned towards the door. He was almost out the door when he stopped and looked back at me. Suddenly in what seemed like two long strides he was across the room. He gave me a quick kiss and then he was gone. I laid there staring at the ceiling. I had feelings for him, but I also had something else. I felt defensive when he was around. I hated the Cupcake nickname. I hated his attempt to pull open my gown. The vision of losing my virginity haunted me. It wasn't pleasant. Why would I get together with him as an adult after that? It didn't make sense to me.

I knew both of these men had a place in my heart. I felt it. I felt the connection. The cupcake man was sexy and obviously had no problem showing emotions. Crap! I better start thinking of him as Joe. I don't want to slip again and piss him off. My husband mostly hid behind a blank face. He was very sexy too. How lucky was I? I had two hot men who seemed to care a great deal about me. But how did I feel about them? That was the big question.

"Ready Babe?" I heard the deep voice.

I glanced in the direction of the voice and saw my husband standing just inside the door.

"I'm outta of here?" I asked.

"Yes. I brought you some of your clothes." He nodded.

He handed me a bag and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. He helped me sit up. I stayed there at the edge of the bed for a minute letting the dizziness fade. I nodded at him and he helped me get onto my feet. He led me by my arm to the bathroom and I went inside.

After what seemed like an hour I stumbled out of the bathroom wearing the soft blue cotton shorts he had brought me with a white tank top. He had included a white lacy bra with matching panties. I had taken a quick shower and let my hair loose to dry.

"I know my hair looks like crap but I tried putting it in a ponytail and it hurt my head." I explained.

"I love your hair down." He told me as he kissed the top of my head.

He grabbed my elbow and led me from the room. I wondered about the release papers and who signed them but decided not to ask questions now. He led me out of the hospital and we soon stepped into the warm air. He had a car right there in front of the door. The black car was sporty and sleek. Some type of Porsche. He opened the passenger door and guided me into the soft leather seat. He leaned across me and fastened the seat belt. I wasn't sure if I was aggravated that he was treating me like an invalid or comforted that he was taking complete care of me.

He didn't speak as he drove. I watched the palm trees pass by the windows. I saw the beach and found myself smiling. The beach gave me a calm feeling and I relaxed further back into the soft seat. When the car stopped I opened my eyes. I hadn't even realized I had closed them. We were at a gate and Ranger was showing his ID. The guard passed us through and I sat up in my seat. He drove slowly through the narrow streets. We passed a three story hotel. Then I noticed small bungalows all around in various places.

He turned down a street named Honeymoon Way and I immediately noticed these little houses were spaced further apart. There was a small parking lot but he passed it. He pulled in front of a bungalow and he quickly ran around the car to get my door. He led me to the front door of the small house and unlocked it.

"I need to park the car. I'll be right back." He told me.

"Okay." I nodded.

He quickly closed the door behind him. I moved further inside to investigate the place I had apparently just spent the last week in. There was a small living room area with a TV and a love-seat with end tables on each side. I kept walking and found a small kitchen with a table and chairs off to the sides directly in front of a large window. The view from the table was beautiful. The whole back of the house was beautiful with full length windows that showcased the beach. I stepped outside and found a little porch with a hot tub. I made my way to a lounge chair and dropped into it. I pulled up my feet and laid my head back into the lounger.

I stared out at the ocean. The view was breathtaking. I felt a smile spread across my face and I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. The smell of salty water and suntan lotion seemed to waft through the air. I flashed back to a picture of me sitting on a towel Ranger was behind me as I sat between his legs. He massaged sun block into my back and shoulders. I felt the heat of his touch and moaned as he chuckled. He slid his arms around my waist and pulled me flush against him. My mind snapped away from the picture and I sighed.

"The beach is really good for you." I heard his voice beside me.

"The smell of the salt-water relaxes me. It's so calming." I kept my eyes closed.

"It's good to see you so relaxed." He noted.

He handed me a bottle of water and opened one for himself as he settled into the chair beside me.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

He chuckled. "Me? You're asking about me?"

"It probably doesn't feel nice that your wife doesn't remember you." I shrugged.

"You'll get it all back." He assured me.

"Are we going to hang out like we did before?" I asked him.

He spit out some water and chuckled.

"What?" I asked.

"I don't know about that." He smirked.

"What did we do? Sports?" I asked.

"You don't exactly love sports." He explained.

"Watch movies?" I asked.

"We can do that." He told me.

"Is that what we did before?" I asked.

"Not really." He smirked.

"Well?" I asked.

"We spent our time hanging out on the beach." He answered.

"And that's it?" I asked.

"And the hot tub." He smirked. "And that shower."

He pointed to the outside shower. I assumed it was meant to clean you of sand from the beach.

"Hmm. Anything else fun?" I was curious.

He didn't answer. He turned his head to look at me and I raised an eyebrow. He thought carefully and then cleared his throat.

"We spent most of our time in the bedroom." He finally responded.

"The bedroom?" I thought.

"In the bed." His eyes grew dark.

"Oh." I gulped.

Neither one of us spoke after that. He finished his water quickly before I downed mine. He reached out for my hand and I placed it in his.

"We did a lot of talking too." He explained.

"About what?" I was curious.

"Our work. The future. Our friends." He shrugged.

"What about our friends?" I asked.

He laughed. "We talked about Lula and Tank. You wanted to get them back together and I tried to talk you out of it."

"Lula is my friend?" I asked.

"Yes. She works with you though she's not exactly the best partner in the world." The smile on his face remained.

"Did I meet her at work?" I pushed.

"Kind of. She is an ex-ho. You got her the job at the Bond Enforcement place where you work. She is supposed to be a filing clerk. Instead she follows along with you." He elaborated.

"Morelli mentioned I was friends with an ex-ho." I nodded.

"He doesn't exactly approve of your friends." Ranger stated.

"Yeah, I picked up on that." I nodded.

He pulled me to my feet and led me inside. We made our way to the kitchen table and I sat down in one of the chairs.

"Dinner?" he asked.

"Sounds good." I smiled.

"Do you want to go out or order in?" he asked me.

"Can we please order in?" My head was throbbing.

"Sure Babe. Why don't you go lay down. I'll bring your pills when dinner comes. You need something in your stomach." He pulled me to my feet.

"This is not hanging out in bed right?" I asked as we headed towards the bedroom.

"No" he chuckled "Not hanging out."

I stopped and turned to face him.

"I like you. You're a good person. I don't think you're dangerous to me." I told him.

His eyes were wide. He looked surprised.

"I just thought I should let you know." I turned back towards the bedroom.

He grabbed my arm and spun me around. He pulled me into a hug. I froze for a second and then wrapped my arms around his neck. I turned my head and rested it in the crook of his neck. He rubbed my back as he continued to hold me. He kissed the top of my head and left his lips there.

"I like you too Babe." He whispered.

I pulled away and looked up into his eyes. They were dilated black. I held back a moan. He really did things to my body. I felt a yearning to kiss him, but I knew I wouldn't be able to control myself. Something about this man had my hormones raging. I leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on one cheek. He stood still keeping his arms wrapped around my waist. I watched his eyes before moving to the other cheek and placed a kiss there also. I wanted to press my lips against his. His lips looked so soft and I was dying to test them out.

Then I closed my eyes. We were in a parking lot and it was dark outside.

" _It was a car Babe, it wasn't important." He told me._

 _"It's not just the car. It's everything. I have all these problems." I whined._

 _"Here's something else to worry about." He told me._

 _Then he grabbed the back of my neck and kissed me. It started off gentle and I found my lips parting of their own volition. He slid his tongue into my mouth and the kiss deepened. I felt tingles through my whole body. He slid his hand around to my lower back and pressed me into him. I melted against him and moaned into his mouth. Finally we both came up for air._

 _"Oh boy." I whispered closing my eyes._

 _"Yeah." He nodded. "Think about it."_

 _"What I think is that it's a bad idea." I bit my lower lip._

 _"Of course it's a bad idea. If it was a good idea I'd have been in your bed a long time ago." His eyes flashed with desire._

I gasped and my eyes flew open. Ranger and I were still locked in a hug. I gently pulled away from him. Now that I knew what a kiss from him would feel like I was both excited and frightened at the same time.

"Why is our kissing a bad idea?" I asked him.

"I never said that." He looked confused.

"Not right now. Before. In a parking lot." I tried to explain.

Realization spread across his face. He figured out I was talking about a memory.

"That was a long time ago Babe. I was still working the streets. I had a contract with the government. You were just starting to get into a serious relationship with Morelli." He told me.

"Then why did you kiss me?" I asked.

"I couldn't resist anymore." He took a step towards me.

"Uhm." I stepped back.

He froze in his spot. He looked hesitant, maybe even nervous. He ran a hand through his hair and let out a deep breath.

"Go lay down Babe. I'll bring you the pills." He finally spoke.

I nodded and turned back to the bedroom. The bed was massive. The blanket was a light blue and the head was covered with pillows. It was a four poster bed with some netting hanging from the top. I looked around for the closet and moved inside. I kicked off my sandals and slid off my top. I wanted to get into something more comfortable.

I noticed a black shirt folded on a shelf and picked it up. I unfolded it and turned it around in my hands. It felt right so I slid it over my head and relaxed as I felt it against my skin. The shirt was long and reached my thighs. I reached around my back and unfastened my bra. I pulled it off through my sleeve. I slid off the shorts and folded them to place them on the shelf with my shirt and bra.

I stepped out of the closet and nearly walked straight into Ranger.

"I'm sorry." I told him as I stepped around him.

"Not a problem." He told me as I slipped under the sheets.

He chuckled as he sat down on the bed. I wiggled my body up until I was pressed against the pillows. I sighed contently and smiled at him.

"You think I would be sick of lying in bed. This bed is so comfortable." I told him.

He held out two pills for me and then handed me a bottle of water. He watched me take the pills and then set the water on the nightstand beside the bed. He reached towards me and moved a strand of hair behind my ear. This felt like such a familiar action, as if he had done it a hundred times. He kissed my forehead before he got to his feet.

"I have to make a quick call. The guys have been worried about you. Hector and Tank are on their way here." He informed me.

"Hector. I like him." I smiled.

"You do. You two are like siblings." He nodded.

"He's coming here?" I asked.

"He's worried about you. They're going to help me check things out and make sure there isn't any danger for you here." He explained.

"Thanks. That's nice." I smiled.

"I'm a nice guy." He winked.

********************************THANK YOU**************************************

Thank you so much for all of the reviews! I truly appreciate each and every one. Special thanks to my awesome beta and problem solver Jenn!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5-

"Babe" the deep voice called.

I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. The hand gently stroked down my arm and back up to my shoulder. "Mmm" I felt myself tightly close my eyes. I wasn't even awake and I had a splitting headache.

I moved closer to the warmth I felt beside me. I snuggled in close and relaxed back into the hand that now cupped the back of my head. The large hand started massaging and I snuggled closer to the warmth. I reached out and felt soft cotton. I rubbed my hand against it and felt solid heat under it.

"Mmm" I moaned.

I heard a chuckle and my eyes snapped open causing the pounding in my head to get worse. I was completely still, afraid to move. I extracted my hand from his chest and pulled away. I stayed on my side and waited until I could form words. He smiled as he reached his arm out to cup my shoulder. I felt his strong hand gently massage my tense muscle.

"Ranger" I smiled as I looked at him and relaxed.

I gazed over into his brown eyes. He was lying beside me in the bed now propped up on his elbow watching me. The hand that was resting on my shoulder curled around me and he pulled me back to him. He wrapped his arm around my back and I buried my face into his neck. I stayed close to him for another moment, enjoying his scent, before I pulled away.

"Good Morning." I smiled at him.

"Morning Babe." He moved to his feet.

"Shit. Morning? What happened last night?" I sat up slowly in the bed wincing.

"Nothing. You were exhausted. You didn't even wake up for dinner." He explained.

"It's these sheets." I stretched in the bed.

"Your favorite." He agreed.

"My favorite?" I was curious.

"These are the exact same thread count as the ones in my apartment in Trenton." He elaborated.

"Oh. I've slept there?" I asked.

"A few times." He nodded.

"Oh yeah, when I was in danger." I reminded myself.

I pulled back the sheets and realized I was only wearing a t-shirt and panties. I glanced up at Ranger but he didn't say a word. He stood from the bed and smiled down at me.

"Thanks for uhm making sure I was comfortable." It came out kind of like a question.

"You need to get up and get dressed. Tank's plane just landed." He informed me.

"And Hector too?" I got up.

He chuckled. "Hector too and apparently they added an extra."

"An extra?" I didn't understand.

"Seems Santos tagged along as well." He made a face like he wanted to roll his eyes but didn't.

"Who's Santos?" I asked.

"Oh Babe." His face lit up. "He will be crushed if you don't remember him."

"Should I?" I asked as I moved stiffly towards the bathroom.

"Not at all." Ranger chuckled as he left the room.

I carefully showered and blew dry my hair. I tried to pull it into a pony tail but it hurt too much. As a matter of fact my whole body felt sore. I found a bottle of Tylenol that seemed to be set out for me on the counter. I took two of them and then headed towards one of the dressers to search for clothes. I glanced at the clock and realized it was almost noon. He had let me sleep in and I greatly appreciated it. I tried to remember what happened last night. I wondered how he had undressed me and I wondered where he slept.

I found a black bikini and slipped it on. I went to stand in front of the full-length mirror and my jaw dropped. My face had bruising on my left cheek bone. I put my hand to my collar bone and felt along the deep bruise. It went across my chest and then straight across my stomach. The seatbelt. There was a bruise on my outer right forearm and one that covered my left knee. I had hot red burns on the inside of both of my arms from the air bag going off. I felt the tears welling in my eyes. I looked awful and now I knew why I was sore.

There were two fast knocks on the door and then I heard it open.

"Babe?" Ranger stepped in the room.

I turned to look at him but didn't know what to say. I was afraid to talk. Scared that if I tried to speak the sobs I was holding back would explode. He approached me slowly and gingerly lifted his arms. I took a step forward and fell against him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my head in his shoulder. He rubbed my back and I took deep breaths.

"I feel like shit. I look like shit. Why didn't you tell me that I looked this bad?" I whined.

He pushed me back and held me away from him by my shoulders. He lifted one hand to wipe away the tear that had escaped. His other hand slowly traced the bruise across my chest. I had to stop myself from jumping when his hand slid through the center. The hand that had cleared the tear gently touched the bruise at my cheek.

"You're beautiful Babe. These marks remind me that you are alive and it could have been a lot worse. Bruises will heal and in time you will get your memories back. For now, these bruises are just a reminder of how fragile life is." He half whispered.

I nodded as I exhaled a deep breath.

"They didn't hurt before. Now, I'm all sore and my head is killing me." I admitted.

"The hospital has better drugs." He told me.

"But now…" I pouted.

"I sent out your prescription this morning. I should have stopped yesterday but I just wanted to get you home. The concierge said they would have them delivered this afternoon." He assured me.

"Thank you." I told him.

"Now put something over that. The guys will have a hard attack seeing you in that sexy bikini." He winked.

I giggled as he went back out of the room and closed the door behind him. I turned back to the dresser and dug around in the drawers. I was able to find a thin cover up tunic that just looked like an extra-long hoodie. I glanced in the mirror again and nearly laughed. I looked almost naked. The top was long enough that it covered up the entire bikini bottom but it wasn't see through. It looked as if I was just wearing a thin hoodie and nothing else.

I followed the coffee aroma and headed to the kitchen area. I froze when I saw a crew of men gathered there. One of the men was huge and my eyes immediately fell on him. He was taller and wider than all of the rest. He wasn't fat by any means. He was solid muscle. He was dark skinned with a bald head. When I first saw him, his face was blank and intimidating but when his eyes caught mine they softened. Deep brown eyes filled with warmth. A slow smile crept across his face.

 _I remembered him. I saw the quick flash of him showing me the cat pictures again. Then the scene changed. We were sitting in the back of an SUV handcuffed together. A blonde man was driving. He looked young and kept checking on me in the rear view mirror._

 _"How did you find me?" I asked him._

 _"It was Ranger."_

 _I saw myself looking at him, maybe surprised that he was choosing to speak to me._

 _"It was great! Ranger dragged some old lady out of bed to open the records office and hunt down real estate. He brought her in at gunpoint." The blonde guy with the cherubic face sounded excited._

 _"Omigod." I was surprised._

 _"Boy he was intense." The driver continued. "He had every Rangeman employee and twenty contract workers out looking for you. We knew you disappeared at Stiva's because I was monitoring your bike. Tank and me started looking for you before Ranger even landed. You told me you were coming back and I got worried."_

 _"You were worried about me?" I asked_

 _"No. I was worried Ranger would kill me if I lost you." He shot me a look in the rearview mirror. "Well yeah. Maybe I was a little worried about you too."_

 _"I was worried." Tank said "I like you."_

 _Then a new memory flashed in my mind. Ranger and I were sitting in a waiting room. I glanced around and realized that we were in a hospital. An aide stepped in front of us._

 _"Pierre is out of surgery and you can see him now." She told us._

 _"Pierre?" I asked Ranger._

 _"If you want to live you'll forget you heard that. Tank isn't overly fond of being called Pierre." Ranger smiled at me._

 _Another flash in my mind and we were standing outside of a radio station. He was showing pictures to me and a rather robust dark-skinned woman. He had just announced that his cat Applepuff was pregnant._

"You're the cat man." I addressed him. "Applepuff, did she have her kittens yet?" I smiled at him.

He nodded. "Yes, she had four of them." He told me.

"That's great Pierre. Oops no sorry, I'm supposed to call you Tank." I reminded myself.

The other three men burst out laughing and I noticed a tinge of red filling up the dark cheeks of my smiling friend. He got up from the stool and crossed the room. He quickly gathered me in his arms and held me in a tight hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay. You can call me whatever you want." He whispered into my ear.

"Thank you." I kissed his cheek.

When I realized what I did I quickly stiffened and he set me down. My cheeks were burning and I stepped back.

"I am so sorry. I just well…you're my… friend, right? I remember you told me you… liked me." I stuttered.

"Yes, little girl. I am your friend." He winked at me.

"Tank." Ranger reminded me with a smirk.

"Tank." I nodded.

"Hola Chica." I heard the voice from behind Tank.

Before I could say a word, I was gathered up into his arms. The man was slightly taller than me and more slender than the others. He still had plenty of muscle. He kissed me on the cheek before releasing me. I stood back appraising him. His hair was dark brown and short, his skin tan. His eyes were the color of chestnut with tiny flakes of gold. He had a tattoo on his neck and a tear drop tattoo under his eye. I didn't know what it symbolized but I knew it should be scary.

 _I knew him, I remembered him. He wasn't at all scary to me. I closed my eyes and saw his face. We laughed together. He spoke English to me but we hid it around others. We sat in front of the monitors talking._

 _"Losing my sister changed me." He was speaking softly._

 _"You're still a good man. She wouldn't want you to punish yourself." I put my hand on top of his._

 _"It's my fault she was shot." He sighed._

 _"No, it wasn't." I patted him._

 _"It was my friends, my brothers who shot her." He shook his head._

 _"Look, it was their fault. Not your fault for being in a gang and not her fault for dating a rival gang member. The only ones at fault were the ones that fired their guns." I reached over and hugged him._

 _"I curse God every day for the sister I lost." He took a deep breath. "Then I thank God every day for the sister I found."_

 _He pulled me in tight and I squeezed him closer._

 _I saw more pictures flash through my mind. We were standing in a hallway and he held up his thumb and pointer finger like a gun and sad 'bang bang' before he laughed. I knew it was funny, but for some reason I was in a pissy mood. I watched him go to the movies with me, dance with me, shop with me, cry with me, laugh with me and comfort me. My eyes flew open._

"Mi Hermano!" I exclaimed. (my brother)

"Mi Hermana! Angelito!" He gathered me into a hug again. (my sister little angel)

I opened my eyes and glanced at the other men. Their jaws dropped, mouths wide open. I squeezed my brother tightly and then pulled away.

"I'm sorry I don't remember your name. I just know you are my brother." I explained.

"Hector." He smiled.

"Hector." I repeated.

"I know you remember me Beautiful." The last man spoke up.

I glanced at him and tilted my head. He was gorgeous. He was an inch or two taller than Ranger and his skin was a shade lighter. His hair had hints of blonde scattered among the mostly brown spikes. His eyes. Wow! His eyes were emerald green and seemed to dance with excitement. The huge smile plastered across his face showcased his perfectly white and perfectly straight teeth. I glanced at Ranger and he gave a slight nod. This was the cocky one. This was the one who would expect me to remember him.

 _I did remember something about him. I remembered he liked to joke around and tease me. A vision flashed and I closed my eyes. I was in an office building. I was sitting in a cubicle, staring at a computer screen. The spiky haired man moved in next to me and sat down on my desk. I glanced at him and he looked me up and down._

 _"Your legs tired today Beautiful?" He asked me._

 _"Uhm no." I was confused._

 _"Because you've been running through my mind all night long." He winked._

 _I rolled my eyes. "You need some new lines."_

 _"I usually don't need any lines." He stated._

 _"Oh really? So what? I'm special?" I asked._

 _"Of course, Beautiful. When you get sick of Ranger you just let me know." He wiggled his eyebrows._

My eyes shot open and I stared at him. He was smiling. He was obviously waiting for me to announce what I remembered about him.

"Did you come by for our lunch order?" I asked.

"Lunch order?" He balked.

Ranger held back a chuckle but Tank and Hector let go of their own laughter.

"Come on Beautiful. Lester Santos. Your favorite partner." He moved closer to me.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Santos." I thrust my hand out to shake his.

"Mr…what? No Beautiful." He looked hurt and I didn't know how much longer I could keep this up.

"I'm sorry. Lester. Lester it's nice to meet you. I'm Stephanie Manoso." I smiled.

"Manoso!" He gasped as he spun to look at Ranger.

"Is that what you told her?" Tank bellowed at Ranger.

"Que cono?" Hector asked him. (WTF)

"Relax. It was part of our cover. I told you." Ranger held up his hands to calm them.

"Then why is she calling herself that?" Lester challenged.

"She's right here." I announced.

"Sorry Beautiful." He glanced back at me.

"It's her name." Ranger explained.

"Archive el documento, aun necesitas hacer la cermonia." Hector spoke next. (I filed the document, you still need to do the ceremony.)

"We did the ceremony." Ranger answered him.

"You what?" Tank asked.

"We got caught up." Ranger shrugged.

"How did you get caught up in a wedding ceremony?" Lester asked him.

"It was a vow renewal. We didn't know it was legal." I explained.

"You remember?" Tank asked me.

"Not yet." I admitted.

"Christ." Lester shook his head.

"Why are you mad?" I asked him.

His face relaxed and he took a step towards me. He rested his hand on my shoulder and looked into my eyes.

"We're not mad at you. We just want to see you get your memory back." He assured me.

"But you were worried. You all. You were worried Ranger lied to me?" I asked.

Tank let out a sigh. "Not that…well yeah I guess so."

"It's just we know how he feels." Lester shrugged

"How does he feel?" I asked.

Tank cleared his throat. "That's not for us to speculate."

I glanced around Lester and met Ranger's eyes. I stared at his face. He had the blank look. No emotion was displayed. I walked around Lester and crossed over to stand right in front of Carlos. I studied his eyes. They made me feel warm.

"You like me, right?" I asked him.

The corners of his mouth each lifted up. This was his kind of smile when he didn't want to knock you out with the big one.

"Yeah Babe. I like you." He nodded.

"As much as Tank likes me?" I teased.

"More." He promised.

"How come you didn't ask him if he liked you as much as I do?" Lester asked.

"I already knew the answer to that one." I chuckled.

Ranger barked out a laugh and the others joined in. After the laughter died down I tried to relax. I watched as each man looked around. They seemed anxious to talk but none of them spoke. I was beginning to feel as if I was in the way. I suppose they needed me to leave so they could talk openly but none of them was willing to ask me to go.

"I need some air." I announced.

Ranger nodded and I headed to the sliding glass doors. I stepped out onto the small porch and immediately felt the warm sun on my face. I pulled off the cover-up and slid into one of the lounge chairs. I heard their murmured voices but didn't hear what they were saying. I was curious to know what they were talking about but I was too sore and tired to try and eavesdrop. I closed my eyes and allowed my body to relax.

I must have fallen asleep. I heard my name and then I felt a breath against my ear and a hand on my shoulder.

"Come on chica before you burn. It's time to eat." The voice whispered.

"Hector?" I asked.

"Si." He greeted me with a smile when I opened my eyes.

I slowly sat up and he handed me the cover up.

"You don't like my suit?" I teased.

He laughed. "I like it just fine. I think they like it too much. That's why I came out to wake you."

"I doubt the bruises would make them very excited." I rolled my eyes as he pulled me to my feet.

"You are beautiful inside and out Angelito. The bruises remind me I have someone's ass to kick." He winked.

"Oh." I laughed.

He helped me slide the cover-up over my head and straightened it just above my knees. He grabbed my hand and tugged me inside. I glanced into the kitchen and noticed there were sandwiches on a platter. The platter was surrounded with various salads. I moved closer to inspect them and found potato salad, macaroni salad, garden salad and coleslaw. My stomach rumbled and I quickly grabbed a plate. Lester came away from the refrigerator and handed me a coke.

"Sleeping Beauty." He kissed me on the cheek.

"Sorry." I apologized.

"Babe, don't apologize. You're still recovering." Ranger set his hand on my shoulder.

I filled up my plate and took a seat at the kitchen table. Ranger moved closer and set two pills next to my Coke.

"Are these going to knock me out? I'm not so sore anymore and my head is feeling a little better." I told him.

"The Tylenol and nap helped you. Let's see how these make you feel and then you can decide whether you need to keep taking them or not." He explained.

"How strong are they? Maybe, I can take only one and if I need more in a half an hour or so I can take another one." I hated being knocked on my ass by drugs.

"It's Tylenol 3. Tylenol for your headache and codeine for your aches and pains. You are supposed to take two every four to six hours. If we find it's making you too lethargic then we will do one pill for the next dose." Ranger explained to me.

"Okay." I nodded.

"I just want you to feel better." Ranger assured me.

"I can't believe you're okay." Tank shook his head.

"It was bad?" I asked before I swallowed the pills.

"Si" Hector hung his head. (Yes)

"How do you…" I questioned.

"Pictures." Tank explained.

"I want to see." I announced.

"After lunch." Ranger promised.

"How are you really?" Tank asked.

"Today everything aches." I whined.

"It's normal." Tank assured me. "Your body got thrown around really hard when the car went into the ditch. It's like having full-body whip-lash. You're going to be sore for a few days."

We finished the rest of our lunch mostly in silence. Lester collected all of the plates and put away the leftovers. Hector grabbed my hand and led me to the couch. I sat down next to him and Tank and Lester took the two chairs in the room. Ranger dropped a manila envelope onto the coffee table in front of me. I glanced up at him before I reached for it and he nodded.

I opened the clasp slowly. I felt myself sweat as I began to worry what was inside. I tilted the envelope and several pictures feel into my hand. I carefully placed the envelope back onto the table and then clutched the pictures in both hands. I leaned back against the couch and looked down at the first one.

It was a little red car but it wasn't cute. It was a mess. As I went through the pictures I surveyed the damage on the car. There was a small dent on the front driver's side bumper. The entire passenger side was dented in and the door was missing the window. I doubt anyone without the proper machinery would be able to open that door. The top of the car had a dent in the center. There was a dent on the back side as well. I skimmed quickly through the rest before setting them down on top of the envelope.

"I was in there?" I asked.

"Yeah Babe." Ranger assured me. "But you're going to be Ok."

I hadn't noticed that he sat down beside me while I was looking through the pictures. His thigh was pressed against mine. I felt as if it was his way of passing me some of his strength simply by keeping us connected. I sat back and let my head drop back on the cushion while I closed my eyes.

"Something else." Tank announced.

"Do I want to know?" I kept my position.

"You always want to know." Lester added.

I sighed loudly and picked my head back up. I opened my eyes and focused on Tank. I was waiting for him to speak but he hadn't said a word yet. He looked nervous. He looked at Ranger and then back to me. He took a deep breath before he spoke.

"Well uhm we have a guy…" He began.

Lester cut him off. "We have a friend here on the island. Ranger had him investigating before we were even in the air. He's the one that sent us the pictures. He was able to get inside the police impound and do some inspection on his own."

"And?" I motioned with my hand for him to continue.

Tank cleared his throat. "Your brake line was cut."

"My what?" I couldn't believe it. "No. It must have happened during the accident."

"It was cut ahead of time." Lester told me.

"Are you sure? It wasn't a brand-new car." I reminded them.

"Our guy has worked on cars for fifteen years. With a trained eye you can easily spot a flex line that has been rigged to break compared to one that has naturally worn and broken from time and use." Tank explained.

"Did we drive that car here?" I asked Ranger.

"Yes." He answered.

"Was it acting funny? Did it stop normally? Was it having problems? Maybe it was worn or old? Maybe the mechanic is wrong." I offered.

"It was fine when we drove it. Both of us drove it and at the time the brakes were fine." Ranger reached out and set his hand on my knee.

"Explain. Help me understand." I turned to Hector.

He looked at me and then peered around the room. It seemed like he was deciding something. Then he nodded.

"Si. The ABS, the anti-lock braking system was fine. You can cut that and you would be fine. That was not cut. Your front brake line was cut." He explained.

"Why didn't the back brakes engage?" I asked.

"Eighty percent of braking power comes from the front wheels." Tank jumped in.

"The person who did this knew their job. They didn't cut through all of the way. They cut through just enough to slowly leak brake fluid. You could still drive and brake. You wouldn't notice anything different. When you slammed on the brakes it made a huge increase in pressure and the line gave out. All of the rest of the brake fluid was lost. Once all the fluid is gone you lose all brakes." Hector explained.

I sat silent for a minute. I was trying to completely understand this. This wasn't like a book or a movie. This wasn't a bad guy sliding under the car and cutting a couple of wires before running away. This took time and planning. But how would someone know I would be the one driving? And that I would be alone? Or was the accident meant to happen to whoever was in the car? Or was this meant for Ranger? My head snapped up to look at him.

"What if it had been you alone in that car?" I asked.

He moved his hand from my knee and turned sideways. Once he was facing me he grabbed both of my hands in his.

"Stephanie, so far every time I have driven you were with me. But when you have driven you went by yourself. Whoever did this knew there was only a fifty/fifty chance of hurting me driving the car. Not a sure way to kill me if I was the target. But a hundred percent chance of catching you in a disabled car." He looked me deeply in my eyes. "If it was meant for me it was a poor attempt. So, there are higher odds that this was an attack meant for you. I don't want you worrying about this. Your head is still bothering you and you need to focus on your recovery."

"But I need to help you." I whined

"That is what these guys are here for. I wanted to tell you about your car so you understand how serious this is, but I need you to rest and focus on getting better so we can go home and keep you safe." He explained.

"But if there's some bad guy out there and the car was just a poor attempt to kill you? He could try again." I exclaimed.

"That's why we're here." Lester interrupted.

"We're here for both of you." Tank added.

"It's my duty to protect you." Ranger told me.

"Because you're my husband?" I asked.

Ranger's smile lit up the room. He leaned in and kissed my forehead.

"Yeah Babe, because I'm your husband."

Tank got up and headed towards the kitchen. He was mumbling and it sounded something like. "This is gonna be interesting."

"I never get to be the husband." Lester teased.

*************************************THANK YOU*********************

Thank you all so much for sticking with me and the awesome reviews. Thanks to Jenn my awesome Beta- I really appreciate you!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6-

I heard music. It was slowly getting louder and more annoying. I rolled myself over and tried to ignore the sound. Someone had covered me in a blanket. I pulled it up over my head. It seemed like it would never stop and then finally it did. I relaxed back onto the pillow and tried to get back to sleep. Then the damn noise began again. I sat up, realizing I was on the couch. The couch? Yes. Okay, the couch in the bungalow in Hawaii.

"Babe."

My husband came into the room carrying the small device that was still chirping with the annoying repeating sound. He held it out for me. I took it in my hand and glanced down. The screen said it was "Joe" calling. I hit the button.

"Hello." I answered.

"Cupcake! Finally! Where were you? I've called five times." He sounded frustrated.

"I was sleeping." I told him.

"Where?" He asked.

"On the couch." I rolled my eyes.

I glanced up at Ranger. He was standing a few feet from me. His hair was damp and he had a coral towel wrapped around his waist. I watched as a drop of water slid down his neck and across his chest. I followed the drop until it disappeared below his waist and into the towel. I licked my lips.

"See something you like?" His voice was low and husky.

I bit down on my lower lip and looked away from the gorgeous site. Holy shit! That's mine? I have slept with him? I am married to him? Omigod! How could I forget him? I suddenly wanted to remember every second of my time with him. I wanted to remember all the intimate moments together with him.

"Did you hear me?" The voice in the phone practically yelled.

"Sorry. I'm still half asleep." I tried to explain away my silence.

"I said Bob misses you." Morelli repeated.

"Who's Bob?" I asked.

"He's my dog. Well, he's our dog." He explained.

"He misses me?" I asked.

"No not really. It's what I say. It's what I say when I miss you. We're not really a mushy kind of couple." He reminded me.

"Oh." I responded.

"The boys miss you and that's not code for anything." He sounded like he was smirking.

The boys? What the hell? Did he mean his balls? His balls missed me? This is coming from a man who can't even admit that he misses me without using his dog as an excuse and now he's talking about sex. What did I ever see in him? There has to be something good. There just had to be some redeeming quality that I haven't remembered yet. I just sighed. I didn't know what to say. My head shot up when I heard Ranger's chuckle. He was displaying his thousand-watt smile and I worked hard to glare back at him rather than smile.

"Joe, I appreciate you calling, but my head has been killing me all day and I am sore all over. The doctor told me I still need to get a lot of rest. So I am going back to sleep. I'll call you later." I told Morelli.

"Okay Cupcake. Remember your promise to me." He reminded me.

"Okay." I told him before I hung up.

Ranger came closer and held out his hand. I gave him my phone and pulled the sheet and blanket up to my neck.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"I could hear his end, he was speaking kind of loud." He explained.

"What made you chuckle?" I pushed.

"His boys." He laughed again.

"I don't even understand that. What kind of person was I? How could I find that attractive at all? You know when I was in the hospital he tried to pull down the front of my gown and look down at my breasts. When I pulled away and asked him what he was doing he said he did it all of the time. He said I liked it." I rolled my eyes.

Ranger shrugged. "I don't know your whole history with him. I can only tell you he is a good cop and works hard at his job."

"And me? How do I fit into his life?" I asked.

"You have a long history from growing up together. Then he was your first FTA, that's failure to appear. You caught him and then a few months later you kind of started dating." He explained.

"What do you mean kind of?" I pushed.

"You guys have a complicated on again-off again relationship. You get together and then break up a lot. I told you once before it's unhealthy." He looked embarrassed.

"Why do we do that?" I asked.

"You should ask someone else. Ask him. I am not the best at explaining your relationship with him." Ranger told me.

"Do I love him?" I asked.

"I don't know Babe. I can read most of your feelings just by looking at your face. I know you care about him but don't know about love." He looked uncomfortable.

"Do I love you?" I asked.

He was silent for a moment as he studied my face. Our eyes caught and I waited for his answer.

"I don't know. You don't normally talk about your feelings." He answered.

He blew out a breath and then changed the subject.

"What promise did you make to him?" He asked me.

"I kinda told him I wouldn't sleep with you until I got my memory back or until we got back home. Or well, while we were here in Hawaii." I said.

"We slept together last night." Ranger reminded me.

"Not sleep together, sleep together…like naked." I said but he just stared at me blank faced.

"You know sex." I explained as I rolled my eyes at him.

"Babe, you're my wife. I would never pressure you into anything you didn't want to do. But Morelli shouldn't have a say in our relationship." He looked frustrated.

"I know. It's just that until I can remember you and him and the decisions I have made about my relationships with both of you I think we should wait." This whole conversation felt wrong.

"Babe, I will always respect you and your decisions and I will give you time to remember. But if we get back and your memories don't come I'm going to expect you to trust me. We are married and I have the paperwork you signed to prove it." He reminded me.

"Ok, I'll think about it Ranger. It's just that if I don't get my memories, back I may not be the same person I was. I may make different… decisions." I hesitated.

"Just give it time. Your memories will come back. It might be days or weeks but they will come. You just need to give your brain time to heal." He said. Just then my stomach gave a loud gurgling growl.

"It sounds like it's time to feed you. If you're up to it we can meet up with the guys and have dinner." He suggested.

"That sounds good. I need a shower." I started to get up.

"Bathroom's all clear." He told me.

"Thanks." I smiled.

I showered and dried my thick curls. I put on some make-up to give some coverage over the bruises on my face. I was heading towards the closet when I realized I had no idea how to dress for dinner. I went to the bedroom door and pulled it open slightly. I listened and heard nothing. I didn't know if the guys were coming here or if they were meeting us some place.

"Ranger?" I called out.

"Babe." He responded quickly.

"Oh!" I jumped as he was right outside the door. "Jeez! Where did you come from? Okay forget it. Listen I need your help." I explained through the door.

"Help opening the door?" He teased.

I pulled the door open and glared at him. His smile faded quickly and I watched his eyes drop. They started at my feet and slowly scanned me from bottom to top. I felt my cheeks flush and I was suddenly very conscious that I was only wearing a towel.

"Sorry. I just don't know what to wear tonight. I don't know where we are going. I don't want people to see my bruises." I muttered as I walked towards the closet.

"We are going to a Luau on the beach." He moved past me.

I watched as he moved hangers around. I leaned against the door frame and took my turn to look him up and down. He was wearing black sandals and he had big feet. His calves were muscular and there was some hair on his legs but he didn't look like a furry animal. For some reason the idea of a super hairy man was a real turn off for me. I could just make out the shape of his thick thighs through his black shorts and even though they were loose fitting I could easily spot an amazing ass when I saw one. I could remember from earlier the remarkable definition and tone of his stomach and chest muscles that lay hidden underneath his crisp white shirt. It had buttons down the center and he had rolled the sleeves up to his elbows. I watched his forearms as he moved through the closet. He was tanned and toned everywhere.

"Earth to Babe." His voice disturbed my admiration of his body.

"Yeah?" I answered quickly.

I looked directly into his deep, dark chocolate brown eyes. I think maybe his eyes might be my favorite part of him. His face is gorgeous. He was clean shaven and he still had the bad boy thing going on that makes him look even more tempting. High cheekbones and smoldering eyes. I smirked at his raised eyebrow before letting my eyes fall onto his hair.

"You had long hair." I suddenly announced.

"I did." He nodded as I moved towards him.

I couldn't help myself. I reached up and ran my hand through his hair. I watched him close his eyes as I ran my hand through it a few more times.

"I like your hair." I told him.

"Even now with it shorter?" He asked.

"As long as I can run my hand through it." I said.

When I realized I said that last sentence out loud I quickly pulled my hand away and took a step back. Ranger shook it off and held a dress up against my skin.

"Perfect." He announced.

I looked down at the light green dress with big tropical flowers pressed against my towel. It had a long flowing skirt so it would cover the bruises on my knees. It had a medium-high neckline and short ruffled sleeves so my collar bone and shoulder bruises were mostly covered as well. I gave him my answer with a smile and then leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.

"I did good?" He asked.

"You did good." I agreed.

"Do you need help putting it on?" He raised his eyebrow.

"No." I laughed. "Get out of here."

"Okay, but we gotta leave in five to meet up with the guys." He moved past me.

I thought Ranger was going to kill me by the time we reached the beach. I had made him repeatedly test the brakes to make sure the car was safe. He tolerated my requests and didn't argue with me, but I was sure I tried his patience. He held open my door and took my hand to pull me from the car.

"How's your head?" He asked as we made our way towards the sand.

"It's okay." I told him.

"Did you take more pills before we left?" He asked.

"I took one. Two makes me too sleepy." I explained.

He stopped me and went down to a knee. He pulled off my sandals and then stood to remove his own. He tossed them into a basket by the gate. We went through the gate and immediately spotted the guys. They were seated at a round table close to a stage. Ranger led me to the table and held out my chair while I got seated beside Hector. He moved into the empty seat beside me and I quickly noticed the beaming smile spread across Lester's face.

"What a polite husband." Lester snickered.

"Santos." Ranger spoke his name through gritted teeth.

"What? I was complimenting you." Lester looked innocent.

"You look great Steph." Tank complimented me.

"Thank you." I smiled.

"Is there a reason we are so close to the stage?" Ranger asked his friends.

"Hula Dancers." Lester waggled his eyebrows.

I looked at his face and smiled. Then I had a flash of his face just like that. We were in a loud dark place. It was a club and the music was pulsing through the speakers. I was confused.

"What exactly are we doing here?" I asked him.

"You said you wanted to learn how to dance." Lester told me.

"Not just how to dance, how to dance sexy. I know how to dance for weddings and normal events. I need to be able to dance better in clubs and bars for distractions." I explained.

"Let me get this straight." He chuckled. "You hate to train with your gun, you won't exercise and we have to bribe you to work on self-defense skills, but for this you are willing to train?"

I rolled my eyes. "Tell me what we're doing here." I demanded.

Just then the music changed and people in the audience started cheering. I glanced around and noticed there were mostly men in this club. I looked up to the stage and a woman was walking out in a school girl's outfit. She had her hair in pig tails and was wearing a plaid skirt with a white blouse. She pulled out a big lollypop from behind her back.

"Les!" I slapped his arm.

"What? Sexiest dancing I could show you without giving you a private lesson and you already turned that down." He winked.

My mind cleared and I was back at the Luau. My eyes went wide and Lester looked nervous.

"You took me to a strip club?" I nearly shouted.

"Uhm…well….uhm." He stammered as he glanced around the table.

"No estas justo en la cabeza." Hector glared. (You're not right in the head)

"You can speak English. Now that we know, you don't have to play us anymore." Lester returned the glare.

"Fuck you. Is that English enough?" Hector hissed.

"Stop that. Hector did that for me. He trusted you for me. Don't throw it in his face." I shook my finger at him.

I felt Carlos' hand on my knee and glanced at him. He was looking at Lester.

"It's not what you think. She wanted to know how to dance sexy." He explained.

"So, you thought you should show her?" Ranger growled.

"She wouldn't let me give her private lessons. So, I thought other dancers could show her." He told Ranger.

"And?" Tank pushed.

"Steph, we are friends. I joke around with you all of the time. You mess with me too. We go back and forth. I don't know what you remembered, but at that club you told one of the dancers I was a millionaire looking for a new wife. I couldn't get the girls off of me all night. They were like a swarm of flies." He said exasperated.

"That was a problem?" Tank asked.

"Yeah, because she also told them I had a micro penis and that's why I was still single." Lester elaborated.

Tank spit out the water he was drinking and Hector and I both laughed. I glanced at Ranger and watched the corners of his mouth slowly raise up until he had a huge smile across his gorgeous face.

"Yeah, it was hilarious." Lester rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry." I giggled at him.

"No, you're not." Lester finally broke out into a sexy smile.

"Okay, let's focus on the threat here." Ranger coaxed us back to reality.

"We did some investigating today." Tank informed us.

"I have some video." Hector told us as he pulled out his cell phone.

Ranger took the phone from him and held it between us. The screen was dark with a bright light illuminating the corner of the parking lot. There was a male in a black hoodie and jeans with his back to the camera. He went towards the red car I had driven and looked left and right before he climbed underneath. We watched as his feet sometimes moved around while he worked. It seemed like an hour had passed, but the counter showed it had been about five minutes, before he slid out from under the car. He had his hand across the lower section of his face and wore sunglasses. He quickly disappeared from the camera's view.

"Anything?" Ranger asked as he handed back the phone.

"I got approximate height and weight. I picked up his shoe size and by the color of the skin I can see his is very tan or local." Hector told us.

"I don't think he's the one." I heard myself say.

"Babe?" Ranger asked.

"I just don't feel he is the one that wants me taken out. I think he was hired to do the job. Maybe we can find him and find out who hired him." I suggested.

Ranger smiled and slung and arm over my shoulders. "You never disappoint."

"What?" I was confused.

"You didn't lose your Spidey Sense." Lester laughed.

"Spidey Sense?" I asked.

"You've always had these feelings. Call it intuition or Spidey Sense but you are never wrong." Tank informed me.

"But Cupcake man, I mean Joe said…" Lester cut me off with his loud laughter.

"Cupcake man? Oh, I am sure he just loves that." Lester smiled wide.

"He told me not to call him that. But anyway, he said I wasn't good at my job so I don't understand this Spidey thing." I was confused.

"He doesn't understand you. He doesn't see the gifts you have." Ranger spoke quietly.

"He doesn't appreciate you or your skills. He focuses on your physical abilities. We all know you need more training and exercise, including you. Your natural intuition and your persistent nature is what makes you successful." Tank spoke.

"Wow, you said a lot. I thought you were just the strong silent type." I teased him.

"It's hard for any of us to accept anyone doubting your skills. You have helped all of us time and time again. You never doubt us. When Ranger was FTA you didn't bring him in, instead you helped him. Anytime there has been a danger to the company you have jumped right in." Lester told me.

"And personally, you help us all more than you know Angelito." Hector took my hand and brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss.

"Then why?" I didn't understand.

"He loves you, he doesn't want you in danger." Ranger said before taking a drink.

"But he doesn't love me as I am? He wants me to change?" I asked.

"For your own safety." Ranger told me.

"I don't think I hate my job. Just talking about this stuff tonight is both scary and exciting. I like it." I told them.

Lester chuckled. "Yes, Beautiful I think you like what you do."

"Something to think about." I spoke softly.

"Any leads on our mechanic?" Ranger asked.

"I am checking some of the other cameras in the area. I think I will have some answers tomorrow." Hector reported.

The rest of the night carried on without any new memories of my own. The guys had several stories to tell of course. The food was good and the company was great. We almost got kicked out when Lester offered to 'make it rain' on one of the hula girls. Apparently, this involved the stack of dollar bills he pulled from his pocket.

We all said goodnight with the promise to meet in the morning to go over the plans. I wasn't sure I should be included in any plans. My head was still killing me and I was still sore. It seemed like Ranger was hesitant to involve me and Tank agreed with him. Lester was all for me working with them and Hector would go along with whatever I wanted as long as he could be my partner. There was obviously some kind of strange familiarity with investigations like this involving me.

When we were back in the little house I watched Ranger prowl through each room to make sure we were alone. He seemed to relax as he set his gun down on the dresser next to the bed. He looked at me and gave me a smile. I headed into the closet to look for pajamas. I checked all of the hangers and all of the drawers in the dressers.

"What are you looking for Babe?" Ranger moved up behind me.

"I can't find my pajamas." I explained.

"You usually just wear one of my shirts." He told me.

My eyebrows went up in astonishment. "And what do you wear?"

"Nothing." He smiled as he dug into one of the drawers.

"Oh…well…uhm." I bit my lower lip.

"Relax Babe. I'll wear boxers tonight. Would you rather I sleep on the couch?" He slipped off his shirt and handed it to me.

I hesitated. "No, it's fine."

"I can see your head hurts, let me get your pills while you change." He offered.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Your eyes, they squint when you are in pain." He confided as he left the room.

I moved fast to take off the dress and my bra. I slipped the shirt over my head. It was big and soft. It covered everything and smelled like Heaven. It smelled like Ranger. I practically ran to the bed and slid under the sheet just as Ranger entered the room.

He walked to my side of the bed and handed me two pills and a small glass of water. I thanked him and quickly took both, setting the glass on the night stand. He set the prescription bottle next to the glass.

"In case a headache wakes you up during the night." He told me.

He walked around to his side of the bed. I turned on my side and faced away from him as he turned off the light. I didn't know why I was so nervous but I knew I wasn't afraid of him. I felt the bed dip and the sheets pull as he moved in beside me. There was a space between us but I could feel the chill from the emptiness between us. I wanted to be in his arms but I was afraid to ask. I scooted back towards him just a couple of inches, making sure I didn't move too close to him. I guess he knew what I wanted because he quickly closed the distance and pulled me into his arms. I lifted my head as he slid his arm underneath me. His left arm was wrapped around my waist as I felt his cheek rest against mine but something didn't feel right.

"Is this okay?" He asked.

"No." I told him.

I felt his hand ease from my waist and he rolled away from me onto his back.. I turned around and scooted over next to him. I rested my head against his bare chest and brought my right hand up to lay over his heart. His right arm came up to my shoulder and he seemed to hesitate for a moment before he allowed himself to stroke his warm strong hand up and down my arm.

"Is this okay?" He repeated.

"This feels right." I whispered against his chest.

I felt his lips brush the top of my head as his body relaxed. I tilted my head up to look at him and he moved his head to the side and turned towards me. I stared at him feeling the need to speak but not sure of what to say. He waited patiently for me to speak.

"Do you like this? Is this how we lay together?" I asked.

"Yes." He answered.

"To which question?" I asked.

"Both." He said before he kissed the tip of my nose.

"This feels right to me, normal." I told him as I stroked my hand across his chest.

"Be careful." He cautioned.

"Are you injured?" I asked him as I pulled away a bit.

He pulled me back up against him and exhaled.

"No, but a problem is developing." He told me.

"A problem?" I was curious.

"Under the sheet." He told me.

I glanced down and noticed the sheet was tented just below his stomach.

"Omigod! I am so sorry." I tried to pull away but his arm tightened around me holding me in place.

He chuckled. "I am used to it whenever I'm around you."

"Well, I don't think….uhm I don't know." I stammered.

"It's okay Babe." He held me close and kissed the top of my head.

"Thank you." I told him before placing a kiss on his bare chest.

"Rest Babe." He ordered as I closed my eyes.

I woke to the smell of coffee and quickly noticed the bed was empty. My head was pounding and my body ached. I glanced around the room but found I was alone.

"Ranger?" I called out.

"Here Babe." He instantly appeared in the doorway.

"My head hurts." I said squinting up at him.

"Relax. I'll get you a pill." He assured me.

He walked over to my nightstand and handed me a pill and the glass of water. I took it and laid back rubbing my head and trying to relax. He left again but quickly returned with a small tray. He placed it beside me on the bed as I wiggled myself up to rest against the headboard. He reached behind my shoulders and shifted me forward as he slid a pillow behind my back. I grabbed the coffee mug and took a sip to check the temperature before I took a big gulp. I glanced down at the tray and saw scrambled eggs, bacon and fresh fruit.

"Is this how you always treat me?" I asked.

"Not exactly." He smiled.

"Oh." I remarked as I set down the mug and picked up the fork.

"You don't allow it. You don't let me spoil you like this." He explained.

"I appreciate it right now." I told him.

"You are very independent." He reminded me as I shoveled a bite of egg into my mouth.

"I felt that. Last night when we were talking about the mechanic I knew you were worried about me being in danger. I could feel that you wanted to take me away and I was ready to argue that I needed to be involved but then you relaxed." I told him before I took a bite from a piece of bacon.

"I have learned when to pick my battles with you. I know if I try to exclude you that you will go off on your own and do something that could put you in danger." He took the other cup of coffee from the tray and drank it.

"The coffee was perfect." I told him as he took away the tray.

"But the rest was crap." He baited me as he looked down at the plate I had scraped clean.

"Barely edible." I teased him back.

"Get dressed. The guys will be here in thirty." He called back into the room.

"Okay, just let me hop in the shower." I told him.

When I emerged from the bedroom in jean shorts and a blue tank top the guys were already here. Hector was on the couch with his laptop and Lester and Tank were sitting at the small kitchen table. Ranger was on his feet leaning over the table inspecting pictures. All four men were dressed in black cargo pants with black t-shirts that had Rangeman embroidered in red over the left breast. Each one had a belt around them that held a gun, handcuffs and other various items. I moved over to his side and felt his hand slide automatically to my neck. His fingers gently massaged my neck as I looked down at the pictures.

"What are we looking at?" I asked him.

"We think this is the guy. Lester and Tank followed him this morning and took pictures. He went to the Four Seasons Resort this morning." Ranger explained.

"We couldn't follow him in, but he came out quickly. We split up and I stayed at the hotel. After using some of my special interrogation skills on the front-desk girl. I found out his name is Lono Kalani. We researched him. He is a twenty-eight year-old, unemployed mechanic and handyman that advertises on craigslist that 'he solves people's problems'. He has also been known to be a hired enforcer for the local mob. At 8:30 this morning he met with a husband and wife with the last name Romero that are staying in the penthouse suite." Lester announced.

"Is that the Rug's last name?" I asked.

"No, Rugutsi is their real last name, but this couple fits their description." Tank informed me.

"You think they hired this guy?" I asked.

"If not it's a big coincidence." Ranger noted.

"So, we need a distraction." I suggested.

"You're not fully recovered and they know what you look like." Ranger reminded me.

I turned to him and planted a kiss on his cheek. "I know."

"What the hell was that?" Lester asked.

"What?" I looked at him.

"You kissed him." He noted.

"I kissed Hector last night." I shrugged.

"Beautiful, that's not quite the same." Lester smirked.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know I wasn't supposed to do that." I looked back at Ranger.

He wrapped his right arm around my waist and pulled me into a side hug.

"Nothing to be sorry about Babe. Feel free to kiss me whenever and wherever you want." He smirked at me.

"Santos is just jealous." Tank mumbled.

"If you don't remember you usually kiss me too, you kiss me a lot." Lester winked at me.

"Santos." Ranger growled.

"The distraction?" Tank asked.

"Yes, it's Lester." I announced.

"What?" Tank was surprised.

"We scope out the Four Seasons and wait and see when the Rug leaves alone. One of us follows him. We have the front desk call Tootie and ask her to come downstairs and settle her husband's bar tab. Lester will be at the bar waiting to distract her and Ranger and I can check out the hotel room." I suggested.

"How do you know her husband has a bar tab?" Tank asked.

"It can always be a mistake if he doesn't have one. Like someone gave the wrong room number or something." I shrugged.

"It just might work." Hector joined the conversation.

We sat in silence for a few minutes while everyone considered my idea. Ranger was the first to speak.

"Lester, you leave a note for the Rug and work on the front desk girl. The message will state that Kono, one of the local mob bosses wants to meet with the Rug today at noon for a lunch 'meeting'. Then find yourself a corner until we give you the all clear that the Rug is gone. Tank and Hector will follow the Rug to keep eyes on him. Lester then use the lobby phone to call their room, pretend to be a bartender, go with the bar tab story. When she comes down to the bar, keep her there as long as you can. Steph and I will check the room. Text when she is on her way back up." Ranger announced.

"Maybe Steph should stay…" Tank began.

"She comes." Ranger cut him off.

"Okay." Tank nodded.

"Great idea Babe." Ranger smiled at me.

Tank and Lester got to their feet and started gathering up papers and pictures. Hector closed up his laptop and slid it into a bag. He stopped to look at me before he pulled me into his arms. He held me tightly against him and then pulled back and kissed me on my cheek.

"Great plan Estephania." He smiled.

"Thank you." I returned his smile.

"This will work out, and then we can all go home." He pulled back and gathered his bag.

"Then what?" I asked him.

"Whatever you want." He told me.

"What if I still don't remember everything?" I asked him.

"Then we will sort it out together." He suggested.

"Thank you." I kissed his cheek.

"Anything for you Angelito." He smiled a she moved past me.

"We'll meet in the coffee shop down the block from the hotel in sixty minutes." Ranger announced.

"Si." Hector called out as he moved to the door.

"Maybe you should distract Tootie and I can go with Beautiful." Lester offered Ranger.

Before Ranger could answer him Tank slapped Lester in the back of the head. Lester mumbled about the pain as he moved through the doorway. Tank nodded as he passed Ranger and Ranger closed the door behind them. He looked at me and then crossed the room and pulled me into his arms.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah." I told him.

"It's a good plan Babe." He pulled away but held onto my shoulders.

"I hope it works." I smiled.

"We'll figure this out." He released my arms.

"Hopefully before someone else cuts the brakes of your new rental." I joked.

"Babe." Ranger's face fell.

He reached out and tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear. It felt so familiar, like he had done it a hundred times before. He didn't like my joke and it showed on his face. He seemed so strong and in control but at that moment he looked worried.

"I'm sorry." I apologized.

"I just can't find humor in your life being at risk." He explained.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine." I reached my hand up and rubbed his cheek.

"Let's get you changed." He turned me around and ushered me towards the bedroom.

"Do I get to dress like Catwoman?" I teased.

"Maybe later." He chuckled.

********THANK YOU******

I can't thank you enough for your great reviews. One reviewer asked for the wedding scene and I promise it's coming.  
Thanks as always to my idea bouncer and BETA tech Jenn!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7-

We arrived at the hotel in two separate vehicles. I sat with Ranger and tried to patiently wait for the Rug to leave. After only thirty minutes I found myself bored. I finally open the glove box and slowly inspected all of the items in it. Irritated that there was nothing worth investigating there I slammed it shut and sat back in my seat filled with frustration. Five more minutes of sitting still and I started fidgeting with my hands. I glanced over at Ranger's zen-like calm and noticed he was smirking as he slowly turned his head back and forth.

"What?" I demanded.

"Some things never change." He told me.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You have never liked stake-outs. You always get bored easily. You aren't someone that likes to sit still for too long." He expanded.

"Oh." I turned away to watch the hotel exit some more.

"It's not a bad thing." He informed me.

"You know me so well from working together?" I asked turning back to him.

"Stake-outs are primarily for work." He teased.

"I'm just trying to understand. It's frustrating. I'm worried…" I trailed off.

"Worried about what?" He asked.

"When I get back." I answered.

"It will be okay." He grabbed my hand. "We'll sort this out together."

"That's just it. I'm sure my parents will have their opinions of my life." I began.

"And your sister." He added.

"And the whole rest of my family and friends and the cupcake man." I babbled.

Ranger chuckled. "Everyone sees you from their own point of view."

"But you haven't told me anything about myself, about us, about my family, about my life." I sighed.

"I have answered all your questions." He reminded me.

"Yeah mostly. I just need more from you. The more things you tell me the more things I remember." I felt the tears sit just behind my eyes.

He pulled my hand up to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back of my hand. He gave my hand a squeeze before he let go. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me to his side. I allowed him to pull me closer.

"What do you need to know?" He asked.

"Tell me about my relationships with the main people in my life. I know you told me some stuff when I first woke up but I want to know more." I implored.

"It would only be from my point of view, how I see things." He cautioned.

"That's okay, just tell me." I sighed.

I slid my head down his chest and settled my cheek against his thigh. I pulled my legs up and moved into a fetal position.

"I'm sorry, my head hurts." I told him.

"We can talk later. Let me take you back to the cottage so you can get some rest." He offered.

"No, I'll be fine." I assured him.

He used his right hand to gently move my hair away from my face. He slowly brushed his hand through my hair as I waited for him to speak. I heard him breathe in deeply before expelling a resigned breath through pursed lips.

"Your dad is quiet. I never hear him say much except the things he mutters under his breath about your grandmother. Your Grandma Mazur is unique. She thinks she's still a teenager. She acts inappropriately for her age, she dresses inappropriately, she is oblivious to the idea of sexual harassment and she has seen me naked." He began.

"Seen you naked?" I asked.

Suddenly I had a vision of being in a hotel in Atlantic City. I heard Ranger yell from another room.

"Babe! Come get your grandmother."

I ran to the bathroom and stepped through the open door. Ranger was standing in the glass-enclosed shower, with the door open looking out at grandma. He was dripping wet and seemed not especially concerned that he was naked.

"It's like she's paralyzed." He said.

"Amazing." Grandma said eyes wide, staring in unblinking stupefaction. I yanked Grandma out and closed the bathroom door. "It was mesmerizing," Grandma said. "It was like staring into the eye of a cobra. I don't care if I do anything else on the bucket list. This was awesome. It was like a biblical experience."

My eyes flashed open and I was filled with laughter. Ranger started to pull his hand away but I grabbed it and pulled him closer. I wrapped his hand up in both of mine and clasped all three together under my chin.

"Sorry." I told him.

"What's funny?" He asked.

"I remembered her seeing you naked. Well, I am assuming it was her since you yelled for me to come get my grandma." I chuckled.

"Not one of the greatest moments in my life." He muttered.

"Well, at least you don't have anything to be embarrassed about." I shrugged.

As soon as it came out of my mouth I wish I could have pulled it back. Now he knew that I had also seen him naked. I knew right away that wasn't the first time. I also enjoyed remembering that he was very impressive to look at. While I was enamored with his smooth mocha latte skin, big strong muscles and firm taught abs, those weren't the best parts of him. It seemed like he was holding back from asking me something but quickly decided to move on.

"You call your sister Saint Valerie. You see her as the perfect child that you couldn't be. She is married to a lawyer you introduced her to. He has no backbone but I guess that's what she needs. She has two kids Mary Alice and Angie from her previous marriage and then had another girl Lisa with her new husband Albert." He went on.

"Mary Alice is a horse." I smiled when I saw the picture of her galloping around the house in my head.

"She is." He agreed.

"Any other siblings?" I asked.

"No. You have some really good friends. Your best friend is Mary Lou. You grew up with her and have been best friends since childhood. You are friends with both the ladies that work in the Bonds office. Connie is the office manager. She is the one that gave you my name and asked me to show you the ropes. Lula is an ex-hooker, that you saved from the streets and got her the job there. She often helps you with your easy apprehensions and has quite a personal flair." He said with a look of almost repulsion on his face.

"What do you mean personal flair?"

"Well she still dresses like she did when she was a hooker. Bright neon colors, animal patterns five-inch heels and her hair is a different color every week."

"She sounds like fun."

"You and she get along really well. You spend a lot of time together working but she gets you into trouble. She has a bad habit of carrying a gun and shooting things at the wrong time. Or getting mad because someone called her fat and trying to beat them up. Or leaving you stranded at the cop shop because she has an allergy to cops."

"Oh"

"You have a bunch of other friends too. Like a little person named Randy Briggs, he was a skip when you met him but later he helped you solve the mystery of one of your missing skips that disappeared from a hospital. Then there is Sally Sweet, a big cross-dressing guitar player that you brought in as a skip. You made friends with him and later hired him to play at your sister's wedding shower. He saw you get kidnapped from there and saved you, pulling up in a school bus and taking out all the bad guys with an Uzi."

I could suddenly see myself in front of a big, dark haired man in a red dress, holding a gun. Bodies lying all around.

"I was so relieved to see him that day." I sighed.

"You make friends with a lot of your skips. You are friends with a pair of druggies that always forget their court dates because they are usually stoned. They are named Dougie and Mooner. We went and rescued them one time when they got kidnapped and were being held by some crazy ladies that locked them up in their basement." He detailed the events for me.

My mind suddenly went to a dark basement with a built-in room that had a padlock on the door. Ranger was standing there with a gunshot through his arm, but he shot the lock off and helped me rescue the two men. I felt the warmth from knowing Ranger was with me.

"You were my hero on that one. I would never have found them or got them out if it weren't for you." I told him as I looked up into his face.

"You are well liked and respected by a lot of people in the community including most of the cops that you work with and all the guys at Rangeman. You are very likeable." He explained.

"The guys at Rangeman?" I clarified.

"Most of the men I hire are hardened military types or ex-cons and somewhat anti-social. They scare most people, and people tend to avoid them, but not you. You are friendly and open with them and they really like you. They like protecting you and helping you when you need assistance." He expounded.

I saw a great mountain of a man holding out his stun gun for me, I smiled at him and then stunned him with it. I remembered i my mind I referred to him as Halosaurus. Then I saw another man a flaming skull tattoo on his forehead guarding me, Cal. We were at a hospital and my sister's water broke all over him and he passed out onto the floor.

"I think I might be a little hard on your Merry men." I laughed.

"Sometimes you have been but they all like you. You are like a little sister to them."

"That sounds good. What about my mom?" I stroked his hand.

"You love her and she loves you." He gave his quick response.

"But…" I pushed.

After some hesitation he spoke. "She wants you to be happy and she has envisioned a certain life for you that she thinks will make you happy."

I thought about it for a minute. I brought his hand to my lips and kissed it. I kept his hand pressed to my lips as I tried to think about my relationship with my mother. I closed my eyes and clips played in my head.

 _I again saw her yelling at me to go back to my husband even while I cried about his affair. I saw her punishing me and calling me names like 'whore' 'slut' and 'loose' when she found out I lost my virginity to cupcake man. I noticed a cast on my arm in the next vision and she was admonishing me for being stupid and telling me I would never fly. I saw myself very young and she was telling me I deserved what I got and I should have listened to her and stayed away. She said I should have never gone into that garage. I didn't know what she meant but had no time to dwell as the different visions continued._

 _"That Ranger is a thug."_

 _"You need to settle down with Joseph."_

 _"Joseph is your last chance to get married."_

 _"Don't you want to get married and have kids before it's too late?"_

 _"Only my daughter has a death wish. Only my daughter continues with a dangerous job when she's terrible at it. Only my daughter enjoys embarrassing her family."_

 _Her various rants continued to flow through my brain._

 _"If you would have satisfied your husband he would have never cheated."_

 _"That's not how a proper woman from the Burg behaves."_

 _"Why can't you be more like your sister? Why can't you be like Mabel Markovits's daughter Linda? Why can't you be like Nancy Silvan's daughter Grace?"_

 _"You better do whatever it takes to hold on to Joe Morelli, he's the best that you're ever going to get."_

 _"You need to stop working at that place with those killers."_

 _"You will never get pineapple upside down cake again."_

"Pineapple upside down cake?" I asked Ranger when the visions had stopped.

"It's your favorite." He told me.

"Ranger?" I spoke quietly.

"Babe"

"I don't think my mother likes me very much." I confided.

He leaned down and kissed the side of my head.

"I think she doesn't understand you." He corrected me.

"You haven't really told me one negative thing about anyone." I sat up.

"I'm just telling you things as I see them, not my opinion on each person. You need to come to your own conclusions." He informed me.

"But…" I glanced over at him.

His eyes were focused straight ahead and I sat up to look out the front window. I glanced around before I settled on the front doors of the hotel. We saw the Rug pause after coming through the doors. He spoke to the valet and then waited on the sidewalk. He looked up and down the road and checked behind him a few times. After only a couple of minutes the valet pulled up to the curb in a blue four-door Taurus. The Rug nodded at the man but gave him no tip as he slid behind the wheel.

As soon as his car pulled away Ranger jumped out of our car and he tugged my hand pulling me along, as we made our way across the street to the hotel. Tank and Hector would follow the Rug and Lester was already inside the hotel. Our plan seemed to be going well so far. The Rug had obviously received the note that was left for him at the front desk asking for a meeting with Kono the local mob boss. The next step would be for Lester to get Tootie down to the bar under the guise of a confusing bar tab. Ranger and I were to get as close as possible to their room while we waited for the text from Lester that he had her down at the bar.

I let go of Ranger's hand as we moved through the revolving glass door. I stopped as soon as I entered the lobby, looking around unsure of where to go. Ranger was on the move so I moved in step beside him. We were halfway through the lobby when Ranger froze. He pulled my hand and nearly threw me against the wall between two potted plants. I was about to ask him what the hell was going on when his mouth quickly covered mine.

My body went slack as I felt his tongue slide into my mouth. His hands went into my hair and I heard someone moan, it might have been me. One of his hands moved down my arm and reached around my waist. When he grabbed my ass and pulled me against him I felt my knees go weak. I ground my pelvis against his and the kiss grew deeper. I felt the hard length of him pressed against me and instantly wanted more. Just as I was wondering where the closest available room was he pulled away.

"Sorry about that." He apologized.

"What? Why?" I sputtered.

"Tootie was walking straight towards us. We needed to hide and it was all I could think of." He explained.

"Oh right the mission. The job." I emerged from my stupor.

"You okay Babe?" He asked me.

"Yeah fine." I dismissed him. "Let's go."

"I need a minute." He told me as he glanced down.

I looked down to see the large bulge in his pants. I couldn't help but chuckle. He gave me a glare but it didn't last long as I watched his smile slowly soften his eyes. A part of me was very happy to see him still affected even after we'd separated from each other.

"Don't say it's not your fault." He warned.

"It wasn't my fault." I argued.

"We can discuss the shared blame later." He told me.

After a minute he grabbed my hand and tugged me towards the elevator. We got off on the twelfth floor and I moved to follow his quick steps towards 1210. Ranger was already working on the lock by the time I made it to his side. Once the door was open we moved in to the room and pushed the door closed behind us. I stood just inside the door as I watched Ranger head straight for the suitcases. My eyes were fixed on him as he checked every pocket and looked through different clothing items.

I pulled myself away and ducked into the bathroom. The light was already on. I glanced through the black bag of toiletries finding a razor, shaving cream, cologne and lotion. I glanced behind me into the shower to see various shampoo and conditioner bottles settled in the built-in soap shelf. Next I inspected the make-up bag. It included all of the typical make-up products. No special compartments or anything special. There were two pill boxes that had pills set for each day of the week, each one was labeled with a name.

I ducked out of the bathroom and checked on Ranger who was now searching through drawers. Suddenly, it occurred to me to check in the closet. I went to open the door and stopped to glance towards Ranger. He nodded his approval so I opened the door. There was a small safe that was unlocked and when I pulled the door open I discovered a file. I opened it and saw a picture of myself, before I could look any further Carlos' phone went off and he glanced down at the text.

"The Rug is on his way back into the hotel, we need to go." He informed me.

"I found this." I held up the file.

"Take it." He ordered.

"They'll know it's gone. I was going to take pictures of it." I explained.

"At this point it doesn't matter, we're out of time. They'll know it's gone but they won't be sure who has it. Especially with all of the shady people they've been dealing with lately." Ranger informed me.

I nodded and pulled the door open. He placed his hand on the small of my back and ushered me forward. He led me to the stairway and we went three floors down before we stopped. We stepped into the hall and he texted Tank for an update. It seemed that the Rug and Lester were arguing in the bar about Tootie. The Rug had found his wife flirting with the hot spiky haired player. Ranger chuckled while he explained the situation to me and pulled me into the elevator.

When the elevator landed on the lobby floor we moved down a different hallway and ducked out the side door. Tank was sitting in a Black SUV and Hector was getting out of the Porsche. I moved to the passenger seat of the sexy black sports car while Ranger got into the driver's seat. I watched as Hector opened up the back door of the SUV before sliding into the passenger seat. My curiosity was only peaked for a moment until I saw Lester come out the side door and hop into the back of their vehicle. We all pulled away from the curb together. We followed them as we all headed towards the hotel.

"Ranger?" I tried to get his attention.

"Babe?"

"How are the guys getting onto the resort if it's married couples only?" I asked

"It ended. The married couple's month ended the day after the vow renewals." He informed me.

"Oh."

I turned to look out the window. I wasn't sure what to say anymore. Several things were bothering me. I was worried about the file I had in my hands even though I had yet to open it. I was concerned with my need for Ranger's approval before I did some things. Most of all I wanted him to tell me about the ceremony. I needed to know why we did it and what preempted it. He had said 'we both meant it' and I wanted to know what the heck that even meant.

"I smell something burning." Ranger's voice broke through my thoughts.

I only hesitated for a moment before I answered him.

"Well, something had been bothering me. A couple of times before I did something I have looked to you for approval. A part of me knows I'm independent and it's not natural for me to rely on another person's approval for what I do. It's like I am forcing myself to do it. I just don't know why." I tried to relay my thoughts.

"I would like to think it's because you trust me. Maybe your mind is telling you that even though you are independent you need…my protection right now, or at least my input. You can't remember much right now and maybe you are checking to see if what you're doing is correct or appropriate for the situation." He suggested.

"You think I need you?" I asked.

He didn't answer. He pulled us through the parking lot into the cul-de-sac in front of our bungalow.

"You don't like my questions?" I pushed for a response.

"You always ask a lot of questions." He turned the car off.

"Then why don't you answer?" I asked.

He chuckled. "Two things. I don't typically answer all of your questions and you are not usually so open with your emotions. We don't normally talk about us or our feelings."

"So, how do we know how we feel? Is that why you don't know if I love you?" I asked.

He got out of the car and shut the door behind him. I assume our conversation was done when suddenly my door is pulled open. He reached in and unbuckled my seat belt before he pulled me onto my feet. I was pulled into his chest as his arms wrapped around me. He kissed the top of my head and then bent over so that I could feel his breath against my ear.

"I'm typically a man of action not words and you're the same. That's why you losing your memory makes this all that much harder." He spoke softly.

I had intended to ask for him to give me words to express his emotions until I heard the clearing of a throat behind me. I turned to see Tank smiling at us while Lester waggled his eyebrows. Hector just shook his head and walked straight to me. He tugged me from Ranger's arms and pressed his hand into the small of my back before ushering me to the little house. My head was beginning to hurt again but I didn't want to tell Ranger. I didn't want him to tell me to take a nap.

We all moved to the kitchen table as soon as we got into the small house. There were only four seats so Hector stood at my side. I looked up at him and forced a smile through the pain. He nodded at me and then left the room. I set the folder on the table and pulled it open. I picked up the picture of myself and lifted it up to study it.

I was sitting in a chair and you could see a small piece of table in front of me. It seemed like I was at a restaurant. I could tell that it was sunset because you could see the sun behind me, dipping into the water. I could make out the top of the blue sundress from the closet. My left hand was in the air holding a glass. It seemed I had champagne and my hand was extended as if to meet another glass for a toast. My attention immediately went to the beautiful rings on my finger.

Even with all of the details I was trying to pick up from the photo I was constantly drawn back to my smile. It was a big natural smile and I looked so damn happy. My head was tilted to the side and the look in my eyes, well the look in my eyes told me I was completely focused on whoever sat across from me. I stopped looking at the picture when Hector sat a mug of coffee and a pill next to me. I passed the picture to Ranger and focused on the steaming hot coffee.

"This is perfect. Thank you." I remarked after I tasted the coffee. Once I knew it wasn't too hot I took the pill before Ranger could notice.

"I know how you like it." Hector winked at me.

"I know just how you like it too Beautiful." Lester flirted.

Hector rolled his eyes and Ranger growled while I chuckled.

"Do we know when this picture was taken?" Tank asked.

"After the wedding, the evening before the accident." Ranger answered.

"I still can't believe you two are married." Tank shook his head as the picture was passed around.

"So Beautiful are you going for half or clean him out for everything he has?" Lester asked.

"What?" I asked him.

"In the divorce. Maybe you should fight for me. Let him keep the other men, but tell the courts I prefer you." Lester continued to tease.

"That's interesting." Hector spoke from beside me.

"What is?" Ranger asked him.

He lifted up the next paper in the file I had laid open in front of me. Hector glanced over the paper before he tossed it in front of Tank.

"It's the phone records from here. I'm sure they got nothing from that." He explained.

"Lots of room service and restaurant reservations." Ranger told us.

"You really look incredible in this picture Beautiful." Lester still held the photo in his hand.

"Make sure that doesn't end up in his suitcase." Hector said to anyone who listened.

"I don't need the picture, I am currently scanning it into my spank bank." Lester teased.

"Santos." Ranger growled.

Lester set the picture down on the table and moved it back towards me. He looked at Ranger's glare and his posture became stiff.

"Chill man. I'm just playing." He held up both hands palms out.

There were no more pictures in the file but plenty of papers. Some seemed to be just scribbles of notes, maybe some kind of shorthand none of us understood. We passed around each paper making sure to fully inspect everything we could. The file was empty except for a small piece of something that looked thicker than paper.

"Now this could be helpful." Hector leaned over me.

"What is it?" Tank asked.

Hector held up what looked like a business card. It was grey with red writing. He twisted it in his hand and we all watched it turn under the light. Hector pushed on something and something metal slid out from the side.

"Flash drive hidden in a business card." Hector informed us.

"I'd be interested to see what's on that." Tank admitted.

"I need to get back to my room to use my computer." Hector announced.

"Let's call it done for now." Tank suggested.

"We didn't eat lunch yet." Lester complained.

"We'll grab something on the way back." Tank promised.

"Report at 0800." Ranger told them.

After we all said our goodbyes and the guys left, Ranger ordered room service. We ate in a comfortable silence. Ranger seemed to be in some kind of zone and my mind was clouded with questions. I had so many questions and I was also trying to think about this case. Was this couple behind the cut brake lines? Had the accident been meant to hurt me, Ranger or both of us?

After I cleaned up after myself I jumped in the shower. I squeezed most of the water from my hair before wrapping my towel tightly around me and stepping into the bedroom. On the bed I noticed a pair of panties, yoga pants and a t-shirt had been laid out for me. I brought them into the bathroom with me and quickly got changed. I came out of the bathroom looking for Ranger. I headed out of the bedroom but couldn't find him anywhere. I headed back to the bedroom figuring he must have had an errand to run or some other reason to have stepped out without telling me.

I felt a breeze and looked over at the sliding glass doors. I noticed one of them was slightly ajar. I didn't want to bother him if he wanted alone time but I couldn't resist the urge to at least check on him. He had seemed different since we inspected the file. He didn't seem to be quite present anymore, like maybe he was thinking of someone or something else. I gently slid the door open enough for me to step through. On my left I immediately noticed Ranger standing behind the half wall that separated the porch, with the built in Jacuzzi, from the beach.

I don't know if he didn't hear me come out, but he didn't turn to look at me. He was slightly bent over so that his elbows were propped up on the top of the wall. I moved closer and noticed his hands were steepled and pressed against his lips. I moved again and I was in front of the same wall about ten feet from him. I bent down and propped one elbow on the wall and rested my chin in my hand as I studied him.

His eyes were focused on the water and he never turned my way. I could hear the sound of waves crashing on the beach, in the distance the faintest sound of music. The temperature was just right, not too hot and no chill in the air. He looked lost in thought and I wanted to say something, to offer him some kind of comfort. I just didn't know where to start or what to say.

"Don't worry about me Babe, just focus on getting better. I left your pills with some water next to the bed." He finally spoke.

"What's wrong? Did I say or do something?" I asked.

"No." He answered quickly.

He still hadn't turned to look at me. I stepped sideways moving closer to him. I moved slowly, waiting to see if he would turn to me or say something to try and stop me. When he made no movement I kept going until our shoulders were touching. I wasn't even thinking about what I would do, my body just seemed to move on its own. I settled my left hand on his back and slowly moved it in a circular motion. I felt his body relax under my touch. I turned my head and laid my right cheek on his back right behind his shoulder. I closed my eyes and relaxed against him as my hand continued to make circles over his back.

"What are you doing Babe?" He finally asked me after a few minutes.

"I don't really know. I didn't think about it I just wanted to touch you. To comfort you." I answered honestly.

He turned his body around and the hand that had been circling his back landed on his abs. He reached his right hand to cup my face and stroked my cheek with his thumb.

"You're the one that needs comfort; you're the one who was hurt." He spoke softly.

"I want to go home." I told him.

His thumb stilled and a look of surprise flashed through his eyes before it quickly faded away.

"Are you uncomfortable staying with me? Do you want me to get you your own room? Sleep on the couch?" He questioned me.

"No." I answered quickly.

"Then why?" His forehead creased.

"Maybe I'll remember more if I'm there. Maybe I can't remember because I'm not familiar with Hawaii. Maybe as soon as I step off the plane I'll remember everything." I gave half a shrug.

"Give me another day?" He asked.

"If you tell me why you're hurting." I bargained.

His thumb resumed the stroking motion on my cheek and I found myself leaning into his hand. I had intended to close my eyes and relax against his hand but I couldn't pull my eyes away from his. He was staring at me like he was trying to get me to read his thoughts. It was as if he expected me to know what he was thinking without having to speak. I let the hand on his abs slide around to the middle of his back and gently press into him. My right hand moved up to his cheek and I mirrored the actions of his hand.

"Talk to me." I whispered.

"I miss you." He stated.

"I'm right here." I assured him.

"And I am so grateful for that." He nodded.

"But it's not the same." I admitted.

"Things changed a lot while we were here." He tried to explain.

"How?" I asked.

He moved his hand back and forth between us. "Us, we changed. New things developed."

"And you are worried I won't remember?" I asked him.

"You will eventually." I wasn't sure if he was trying to assure me or himself.

I pulled away and scrubbed my hands over my face before I looked back up at him. He made a move towards me but froze and instead leaned back against the wall. He leaned back and rested his elbows on the top of the wall on either side of him. I ran my hands through my hair. I knew I was hurting him and I felt terrible about it. I knew this man was very important to me and I didn't want to see him in pain. I closed my eyes and pictures flew through my mind.

 _I was in a bed in a bedroom. My bedroom. I sat up and looked across the room. Ranger was sitting there in a chair with his elbows resting on his knees. His hands were clasped together and he was just staring at me. He took a deep breath to speak but I spoke first._

 _"You don't listen." I told him._

 _"I always listen. I don't always agree. I have a problem right now that I can't seem to solve by myself. I need you to help me find my daughter. And there's an even bigger problem involved. I feel a financial and moral obligation to my daughter. I send child support. I send birthday and Christmas presents. I visit when I'm invited. But I've kept myself emotionally distanced. I am not emotionally distanced from you. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you because I was using you to find someone…even if that someone was my daughter. So I have to make every effort to keep you safe." He spoke calmly._

 _The pain seared through my chest. I was happy to hear him say this but at the same time I was incredibly hurt by the tone of his voice. He sounded like he didn't want any attachment to me and what happened was out of his control and against his better judgement._

 _Then I saw a little girl. She was in a trailer and looked unkept, her face was covered in dirt and tear stains. She had long brown hair and eyes just like Ranger. I tried to talk to her and comfort her. She smiled after a while and then she was gone. I was in my apartment, strapped to a chair with tape and my hands were handcuffed behind me. . The girl was beside me in a chair, she appeared to be slumped over drugged but I saw her hands wiggling in her lap. . She looked at me through slitted eyes, then watched the man closely._

 _A man who kinda looked like Ranger was ranting and raving and pointing a gun at me. Scrog I remembered. He was talking about taking over 'his' life. I heard a door open and looked up to see Ranger. He was walking into the room with both hands held high above his head. Our eyes met and it was like seeing into his soul. He was coming in here to save us, to save me, and he knew it might cost him his life but it was a price he was willing to pay and I knew in that moment that I loved him._

 _The man fired once, twice and then I lost track of the shots. The man moved closer and once again trained his gun on Ranger. Before he could fire the girl jumped up, wrestling him for the gun. Before I could see who won a shot rang out and he quickly fell to the floor. I barely glanced at the girl holding the gun. I couldn't take my eyes off of Ranger. There was so much blood. My hands were being uncuffed and the tape was pulled off. I tried to get to Ranger but there were already people surrounding him, working on him by the time I was freed._

 _They brought oxygen to me, but I still couldn't breathe. From the corner of my eye I could see them working over Ranger. Hooking him to an IV, shouting orders, running with equipment. And I just couldn't breathe. I was crying and choking and there wasn't enough air in the room._

 _The cop was there too, Morelli. Morelli scooped me up and carried me outside to the hall, away from the insanity in the apartment. He was talking to me, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. He moved me flat to the wall, and they came through with Ranger. They had the elevator doors open and waiting. They rolled him past me. His eyes were closed. Oxygen mask over his mouth and nose. Shirt cut away. Blood everywhere. One of the EMT's was holding gauze against his neck and I watched the blood soak through it. I felt my legs go out from under me and I screamed out before I began to sob. Morelli rubbed my back as he tried to comfort me. I couldn't catch my breath in between my sobs. I couldn't speak. Morelli stepped back and I slowly slid down onto my knees. He went down in front of me and grabbed my shoulders. I looked up and he rolled his eyes._

 _"Do you want to follow them to the hospital?" He asked._

 _I nodded and he sighed as he helped me to my feet._

 _Then we were in his SUV. I wanted him to go faster. He had put that stupid Kojak light on the roof of the car, but he wasn't speeding._

 _"He might be okay," Morelli said. "They'll know more when they get him into x-ray. He was wearing a vest. From what I could see he took four in the chest. One of them penetrated. Maybe not entirely. Even if it hadn't, at that close range they'd knock him out. He took two more. One in the shoulder and one sliced into his neck. It was the neck wound that produced all the blood. Sunny Raspich was working EMT, and he said he thought it looked worse than it actually was. He said it looked like a clean slice that didn't hit anything vital."_

 _I took deep breaths and tried to calm myself. I was worried if I didn't relax Morelli wouldn't take me to the hospital. I needed to be with Ranger, I needed to see him, and I couldn't lose him. Once I was calm Morelli grabbed my hand and pulled it to his lips where he touched his lips to the back of my hand with a gentle kiss._

 _"I've seen you in the middle of a lot of disasters. I've never seen you in that bad shape." He squeezed my hand._

 _I looked over at Morelli and realized at that moment that I loved him and I would have been hurt had he come into that room and been shot. I turned back and stared out the front window. Ranger was the one that walked in. Ranger was the one who calmly walked to his possible demise to save me. Ranger who was emotionally attached to me. Ranger who I was in love with._

***************************************THANK YOU***********************************************

Thank you all so very much for your reviews. I can't tell you enough how much they fuel me and make me work harder. Thank you to Jenn my fantastic BETA who makes not just my story better but makes me better.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8-

"Babe" Ranger called out.

My eyes snapped open when he gently shook my shoulders. I looked at him as I felt the tears slowly slide down my face. I felt myself getting worked up like I had been in my vision. It was like he was shot all over again. The sobs quickly escaped from my chest as a shiver ran through my body. Suddenly I was gasping and couldn't breathe. I dropped my head to his chest when I felt my knees weaken. He pushed me away gently, wrapping one arm under my shoulders before he bent down and wrapped his other arm under my knees. He lifted me up into his arms and carried me to the doors. He must have used a foot to move the door open because he never put me down.

He carried me to the bed and gently laid me down before he disappeared. He was back seconds later pressing a cold washcloth to my forehead. He climbed into the bed and pulled me into his side and I buried my head into his neck. He rubbed my back slowly helping me to relax. Once I was breathing normally and had stopped the sobs I pulled my head back to look up at him.

"What did you see Babe?" He asked me.

"You were shot." I told him.

"Which time?" He brushed it off.

"Don't do that. Don't make light of it. Scrog shot you so many times I thought you were going to die." I wiped at the still falling tears.

"I'm here Babe. I'm sorry you had to see that again. I never wanted you to see it the first time." His thumbs brushed away the tears running down my face.

"You're not emotionally distanced from me. I think you wish you could be." I informed him.

I moved away from him and sat up onto my knees. He reached out and placed a hand on each of my thighs and slowly shook his head. He rubbed his thumbs in circles gently against my skin. I resisted the urge to close my eyes when I felt the warmth of his touch.

"That was over a year ago, almost two." He told me.

"It hurt." I admitted.

"Babe" He leaned closer to me.

"Did you figure out a way to distance yourself from me since then? Emotionally. Is that what changed?" I asked.

"No, not even close. That's not exactly one of the memories I wanted you to see right away." He confessed.

"There was something else." I cautioned him.

"What was it?" He inquired.

I glanced to the side to avoid his eyes. I felt the bed move and glanced back to see him sitting up onto his knees. Our knees were pressed against each other and I looked down. His hands moved to my face and he cupped both cheeks into his powerful hands before forcing my eyes up to look into his. Our faces were inches apart. I could feel his warm breath against my skin.

"I love Morelli." My words were spoken slowly and softly.

I felt his hands relax against me as he moved to pull back. I quickly grabbed both his hands with mine holding them to my face. I sat up taller and leaned in closer to him, our lips almost touching. He had turned his head to the side, unable or unwilling to look at me. I gave up his hands and grabbed each side of his head before roughly turning him to force his eyes on mine.

"That's when I knew. I was sitting strapped to that, just watching Scrog, waiting with the gun trained to the entrance. When I was waiting to see who was going to walk into my apartment and get shot. That's when I knew that I loved him." I paused and took a deep breath.

"Then you walked in with your hands up and there was this connection when our eyes met. That's when I finally understood. No matter how much you pushed me away or kept me at arm's length I had fallen in love with you. It was then that I decided it was time I finally admitted it to myself." I confessed.

I hesitated when I saw his eyes grow wide. His lips parted in what I suspected was his version of dropping his jaw.

"I knew if it was Morelli who had walked in and got killed it would hurt. I was praying in my head it wouldn't be him. But when I saw you, when I thought of what could possibly happen to you…it sounds stupid." I pulled my face away and shook my head.

"Tell me." He commanded.

"I just knew if something happened to you I would be devastated. It was like you held a piece of me and if I lost it I wouldn't be able to go on." I whispered.

He didn't say a word; he was waiting to see what else I had to say. I found my teeth slowly biting into my bottom lip. I wasn't sure if I should tell him. For some reason I thought I should be afraid to tell him. That I should worry he might reject me or push me away. Like somehow if I said the words it would change everything between us. I said them anyway.

"I love you." I whispered again.

He pulled me tight against him and I buried my face into his neck. He rubbed my back to calm me for a few minutes before he slowly pulled me to his side and laid us both back onto the pillows. I never spoke another word and he said nothing. He rubbed my back and arm, he kissed my head and allowed his lips to rest there for a while.

I woke up slowly feeling like I had been hit by a truck. It was dark outside and Ranger was still asleep. My head was killing me and my body was sore. I wondered if my eyes were swollen from all of the crying last night. I knew my chest was sore from the little break down I had when I saw that memory. After I told Ranger I was in love with him he had pulled me tight against him and stroked my hair. He held me in his arms for what seemed like hours with both of us silent.

When he finally spoke, he filled me in on the rest of the story with he had to stay hidden in my apartment. How I helped find the identity of the guy and then made myself a target to try to rescue Julie, his daughter. I laid my head on his chest and listened carefully as he told me all about his crazy stalker that had tried to take over his life. The one who had almost ended his life.

I sat up far enough to reach the nightstand. I took two pills with the glass of water. I laid my head down onto Ranger's chest again and curled into his side.

I rolled over to my side and glanced at the clock. It was nine o'clock, the sun was shining in the window and I was alone in the bed. A light was blinking on my phone so I picked it up. I had six missed calls from Morelli. I adjusted the volume on the side and realized it had been placed on silent. I hit the key to return Morelli's call.

"Cupcake." He sounded relieved when he heard my voice.

"Hi." I told him.

"When are you coming home?" He asked.

"Soon. I think tomorrow I can leave." I told him.

"I miss you so much. How are you doing?" He confessed.

"There's so much I still don't remember." I confided.

"Don't worry, once you get home everything will come back to you. We'll be sitting on the couch with a beer in one hand and a meatball sub in the other watching a game and you'll remember everything." I could hear his smile through the phone.

"Uhmm" I was near speechless.

"You just need to get back into our usual routine." He assured me.

I saw a vision of us on a couch and I was smiling. He glanced at me and his pupils dilated as he looked at me with desire. I laughed and held my hand up as I tried to explain I wasn't done eating. He set down his beer and took mine quickly from my hand before pulling me into his arms. The sandwich dropped onto the plate before he pulled me down onto the couch. His lips covered mine as his hands moved under my shirt. I felt the warmth of his touch as his hands glided around to my stomach and then moved up to cup my breasts. A shiver went through my body as our tongues swirled together. I pulled back to catch my breath and looked into his handsome face.

"I need you." He told me.

"I need you. Did you hear me Cupcake? I miss you. I need you." He repeated.

I shook my head and quickly realized he was waiting for an answer, the last line from my memory was happening now. He was calling to me through the phone.

"Cupcake? Are you still there?" he asked.

"Yeah Joe, I'm here." I assured him.

"Have you kept your promise?" He asked.

"My promise? Oh what the hell, seriously? I'm covered in bruises. I hurt all over and have a constant headache. You think I'm really in the mood to think about sex right now?" I rolled my eyes.

"I'm sorry. I just don't want to lose you. I want to get married and move forward. When you get back I'll bring you home with me. I don't want you staying alone." He stated.

"Did you get me a ring?" I asked.

"Uhm…well…no…not yet." He sputtered.

"Okay." I said.

"I just want to stop worrying about you all the time. When you get back no more cases that endanger your life. No more skips and no more working with Manoso." He told me.

"You want me to quit my job? What would I do?" I asked.

"Stay home and relax. Decorate our house, have babies, learn to cook." He chuckled.

"I can't cook?" I asked.

"Not at all. You always tease that you can burn boiling water. Several times you have come close to burning the house down." He teased.

"How do I burn boiling water?" I couldn't believe it.

"Well, you were boiling water and forgot about it. I think you went to take a bath. When you came back in the kitchen all the water was gone and the bottom of the pot was scorched." He explained.

"So, what do I eat?" I really wanted to know.

"When you're home alone peanut butter and olive sandwiches, cold cereal, pop-tarts, and tasty cakes. When we are together sometimes I cook. Most of the time we order out. There is a local place, Pino's, you love their pizza and meatball subs."

I saw myself in a very plain kitchen eating a lumpy peanut butter sandwich and putting a piece of the crust in a cage that sat on the counter. I realized Joe was still talking.

"…quit your job you'll have time to recover. Your mother can teach you how to roast a chicken and my mother can teach you her lasagna recipe. My mother is famous for her lasagna."

"I think I liked my job." I risked telling him what I really felt.

"You didn't. You started it for the money. That was before we were together. Now things are different. I'm a detective now, I make more money and can support you. You have someone who worries about you and wants you safe. You need to worry about them and their happiness." He explained.

"You're the only one who worries about me? Because if there are more how am I supposed to worry about everyone's happiness?" I was curious.

"No one else does like I do." He used a husky tone.

"Well…" I trailed off.

"I'm so happy to hear your voice but I have to get back to work. I tried to call you earlier to have more time to talk. Where were you?" He asked.

"Sleeping. It's still early here." I answered.

"Okay, go ahead and go back to sleep. Get some rest. I'll call you tomorrow. I can't wait to see you." He spoke swiftly.

"Okay." I responded.

"Love you." He said quickly before he disconnected.

"Did he get you a ring?" Came a deep voice from the doorway.

I looked up to see Hector leaning against the door frame with a cup of coffee and a breakfast tray in his hands.

"Nope" I popped the 'p'.

"Didn't think so." He shook his head.

I forced myself to sit up and set my feet onto the floor. He placed the coffee on the nightstand, the tray on the bed next to me and reached for my pills. He looked at me and I held out my hand for him to place a pill into it. He handed me the water to wash it down and then smiled before handing me the coffee. I scooted up and leaned my back against the headboard bringing the tray with me. Hector sat down beside me and rested a hand on my knee.

"What made you cry?" He asked.

"How did you know?" I could feel my forehead wrinkle.

"I know you Angelito, others might not see it in your eyes but I know." He explained.

"I had a bad memory last night." I confided as I took the lid off the tray to find scrambled eggs, sausage and pancakes with butter and syrup.

"What was it about?" He asked.

"Scrog." I sighed as I picked up a sausage link and took a bite.

"That's not a good one." He said solemnly.

"No, it wasn't good. I don't know what to do. I remembered I loved both Ranger and Morelli. I felt like with Morelli it was comfortable and familiar. With Ranger it was…well it was indescribable. Powerful. Scary." I confessed.

"Sounds right." He nodded.

"So, now what do I do about them both?" I asked still eating.

"You heal. You focus on you." He rubbed my knee.

I let out a deep sigh before I took a big gulp of the hot, sweet coffee. I leaned back and closed my eyes as I tilted my head to the ceiling. My head was killing me, parts of my body were still sore and my mind was trying to process everything.

"Hector?" I asked as I doctored my pancakes.

"Yes?" He patted my knee.

"I'm married to Ranger and Morelli is talking about me staying with him when I get back to Trenton. How can I do that when I am married to Ranger? Even if it's not a real marriage I don't want to disrespect him like that." I tried to explain and started on my pancakes.

"You can stay with me." He winked.

"Really?" I was thrilled.

"Yes. Then there will be no problem. You will have time to figure things out." He nodded.

"Thank you." I leaned forward and pulled him into a hug.

"Be aware that Morelli won't like it and he will put pressure on you to go to his place." Hector warned.

"And Ranger?" I asked taking another bite.

"Ranger will understand and he knows I will keep you safe." He pulled back.

"Ranger understands a lot." I noted.

"Not everything, chica." Hector smirked.

"Okay." I nodded in understanding my mouth full.

"Go take a shower. I want to show you what I found." He smiled.

"Okay." I nodded.

He stood up and held out his hand to assist me. I pushed the half-eaten tray away. Once I had set down the coffee, I took his hand and allowed him to help me up. He pulled me into his arms and gathered me against him in a warm hug. I relaxed in his arms and turned my head to rest it on his shoulder. This was just what I needed right now. I needed his comfort because he made me feel special, loved, and like family. He pulled back and looked me up and down before shaking his head. He disappeared into the closet but quickly returned with a tank top and shorts in his hand.

" Finish eating and get ready you have fifteen minutes." He said before he kissed my forehead and left the room.

I quickly scarfed down the rest of my food. Then I took care of business, grabbed a quick shower, threw my hair in a loose ponytail, brushed my teeth and pulled on the clothes before I left the room. Hector was in front of his laptop at the kitchen table. Lester was pouring himself some coffee and Ranger and Tank were talking quietly by the sliding glass door. When they noticed my presence everyone glanced my way. Tank gave a small nod, Lester and Hector each gave me a big smile. Ranger gave a thoughtful closed mouth smile. Lester took his coffee and crossed the room to me.

"Good morning Beautiful. How are you feeling today?" He threw an arm around my shoulders and hugged me into him.

"Better." I smiled.

"Just let me know if I can do anything for you." He waggled his eyebrows.

"Actually, I do need help…" I paused when all heads turned my way.

I chuckled and shook my head. "I just need your help with my phone."

"No problem." Lester said as I pulled away.

I padded back to the bedroom and pulled my phone off of the dresser. I stopped by the room phone and grabbed a pad and paper that sat beside it. I brought everything back to the living room area and Lester and I sat back onto the couch. I opened it up with my thumb print and then handed him the phone. I opened the pen and readied it to write.

"So what do you need me to do?" He asked.

"I glanced at it yesterday and saw there are some nicknames in the contact list and I don't know who they are. I also couldn't figure out how to get the speed dial numbers to display." I explained.

"We might need Hector's computer to sort some of these out, but I'll do my best." He pulled out his own phone.

"Okay start with the speed dial." I suggested.

Lester clicked some buttons and then smiled. "Batman is speed dial number one."

"Who's Batman?" I asked as I wrote it down.

"That's …" He started looking across the room to see if Ranger was listening. I followed his eyes.

"Ranger." I finished for him.

"Yes. Now, number two says 'Merry Men'." He looked perplexed.

"Merry Men?" I was confused.

"Oh shit. It's the control room." Lester chuckled.

"Control room?" I didn't understand.

"The control room at Rangeman. The line that goes to where the guys are manning monitors twenty-four seven." He explained.

"Him…so why do I?" I questioned.

Then I saw Ranger's face in my mind.

" _My life's not black and white. I operate more in the gray. Morally right is more important than following the rules sometimes." Ranger told me._

Then I saw a vision of a set of monitors and two guys sitting in front of them. I glanced around the room at the cubicles and guys mulling around with papers and such. Each one of them wore a belt with a gun, cuffs and various other items. I glanced to my right and saw two offices. Then my eyes shot open.

"Ranger is Robin Hood and all the guys that work for him are his band of Merry men." I announced.

Lester spat out some coffee. Hector chuckled but stayed focused on his computer. When I glanced at Tank and Ranger I saw Tank had a big grin on his face and Ranger had that half smile where the corners of his mouth are turned up.

"You are one of a kind Beautiful." Lester mused.

Lester went to the kitchen to grab some paper towels so he could clean up the coffee he spat on to the table. Once he finished he plopped back down next to me and patted my knee. He handed me the phone so I could open it again and then went back to hitting buttons.

"Speed dial three says Hermano." Lester pressed the button.

We heard Hector's phone ring and I smiled before Lester disconnected.

"Four is Grandma, Five is hmmm I need to change this." He smirked.

"What's five?" I asked.

"Well you must have typed it in wrong. You should have written Sexy Santos or Hot Lester." He chuckled.

"How are you listed?" I was curious.

"Player." He laughed.

"Omigod." I laughed and all the men in the room gave some kind of chuckle.

"Six is Tank. So I beat out Tank." Lester did a little wiggle dance.

"Maybe they are in importance vertically and not numerically." I suggested.

"Be quiet Beautiful. Let me have my moment." Lester shushed me.

"Who's next?" I prompted.

Lester reached for my paper and pen and scribbled out the rest of the list before handing it back to me. I glanced down at his writing.

1-Ranger  
2-Control Room  
3- Hector  
4- Player Sexy Santos  
5- Tank  
6-Lula  
7-Morelli  
8-Mom  
9-St. Val

"Who is Saint Val?" I asked.

"Your sister." Ranger answered from across the room.

"Is she a nun?" I asked him.

"No, you think your mom feels like Valerie is the perfect child. A saint." He explained.

"Lula? I work with her?" I asked.

"Yeah. When you have a memory of her you'll know it. Just focus on spandex and I'm sure you'll see her." Tank laughed.

"Come see." Hector called to me.

I went to the table and sat next to him as the guys gathered around. On the computer screen was an e-mail. I read the words in the e-mail.

 _Bombshell=50k  
Hero=50k  
accident= bonus 20k  
Hawaii=Kona Resort_

"What does all of that mean?" I asked.

"I think it's a message sent to the hitman. It's purposely vague. Everything here could be denied or argued." Lester spoke over Hector's shoulder.

"You are Bombshell, Ranger must be hero. The mercenary gets a bonus for making it look like an accident." Tank elaborated.

"Can you trace the email addresses?" Ranger asked.

"No. It took me all night of running hacking programs just to get in and open this file. There's a few more encrypted files on it I am trying to get opened." Hector explained.

"Mercenary?" I choked out.

I saw black dots in my vision and felt nauseous. Bells were clanging in my ears. I stepped back but was unsteady on my feet. Ranger wrapped an arm around my waist and ushered me to the couch. When I sat down he gently moved my head down between my legs, his warm hand on the back of my neck.

"Push against my hand." He told me.

 _I saw a vision of a dark-haired man holding a gun on me. He had brown hair and olive skin and he looked angry. It seemed we were in my living room and I was trying to explain to him that I was nosy. My upper arm was in pain and I felt blood trickling down past my elbow._

 _"I don't give a flying fuck about your life history." He yelled. "I want to know what you did with the freaking money. I've only got twelve hours until my ship sails. You think you could get to the point before then?"_

 _Ranger appeared and grabbed the man off of his feet and pressed a stun gun to his neck. The man squeaked and collapsed onto the floor. Ranger bent over and took the gun from the man. He patted him down for more weapons and when the man didn't have any Ranger flipped him over and cuffed his hands behind his back._

 _Ranger got to his feet, kicked the man aside and stood over me. "I thought I told you not to hang out with members of the Ramos family. You never listen."_

 _I gave him a weak smile. "I think I'm going to throw up."_

 _He put his hand to the back of my neck and pushed my head between my legs. "Push back against my hand." he told me._

 _The bells stopped clanging and my stomach sort of calmed._

 _I wiped my nose on my T-shirt. "How long were you here?" I asked._

 _"I came in when he shot you."_

 _We both looked at the gash in my arm._

 _"Flesh wound," Ranger said. "Can't get much sympathy on this one." He steered me into the kitchen and pressed some paper toweling to my arm. "Try to clean it up a little, and I'll go look for a Band-Aid."_

 _"Band-Aid! I've been shot!"_

 _He came back with my first-aid kit, used Band-Aids to hold the wound together, put a gauze patch on it, and wrapped my arm with surgical gauze. He stepped back and grinned at me. "You look kind of white."_

 _"I thought I was going to die. He'd have killed me for sure."_

 _"But he didn't." Ranger said._

 _"Did you ever think you were going to die?"_

 _"Many times."_

 _"And?"_

 _"And I didn't." He used my phone to dial Morelli. "I'm at Steph's apartment. We've got Homer Ramos bagged and waiting for you. And we could use a blue-and-white. Stephanie caught a bullet in the arm. It just sliced through some flesh, but she should have it looked at."_

 _He slid an arm around me and pulled me to him. I rested my head on his chest, and he nuzzled my hair and kissed me just above the ear. "Are you okay?" he asked._

 _No way was I okay. I was as un-okay as I could get. I was in a state. "Sure," I said. "I'm fine."_

 _I could feel him smile. "Liar."_

 _….._

 _Morelli caught up with me at the hospital. "Are you okay?"_

 _"Ranger asked me that same question fifteen minutes ago and the answer was no. But I'm feeling better now."_

 _"How's the arm?"_

 _"I don't think it's too bad. I'm waiting to see the doctor."_

 _Morelli took my hand and pressed a kiss to the palm. "I think my heart stopped twice on the way over."_

 _The kiss fluttered in my stomach. "I'm fine. Really."_

 _"I had to see for myself."_

 _"You love me," I said._

 _His smile tightened, and he gave a small nod. "I love you."_

 _Ranger loved me too, but not quite in the same way. Ranger was at a different place in his life._

My eyes shot open and I pulled myself up against Ranger's hand. I glared at him. He looked confused but Tank saw the look on my face and backed up.

"Homer Ramos?" I asked.

"Is that who you saw?" Ranger asked.

"He shot me. You did the same thing. Tucked my head and all of that." I paused "Why did you call Morelli?"

"You were in that whole on again off again." Ranger shrugged.

"He told me he loved me." I remarked.

"I'm sure he does." Ranger got up from the couch.

I grabbed his arm. "I wasn't okay you know."

"I know. It was my fault." His back was to me.

"How?" I stood up.

"I was FTA. It was a bullshit charge but I got you involved and put you at risk." He kept his back to me.

"I think I need to hear more about my FTA's." I held his arm and turned him to face me.

"Will you tell me?" I asked him.

"Of course." He settled back down on the couch.

"Tell me who was my first FTA? Did I capture them?" I was excited to hear.

Lester let out a breathy laugh kind of sound and Tank gave out a low whistle.

"Morelli." Ranger told me.

"Morelli?" I didn't understand.

"Yeah Morelli was your first." He cringed when he realized what he had said.

"I need to hear this one." I sat back.

"So, you became a bounty hunter because you needed the money. You were working as a lingerie buyer at EE Martin before you got laid off from there." Ranger began.

"He was wanted for the murder of a guy named Ziggy. He skipped bail to have time to try and prove his innocence. There was a big paycheck for you if you could bring him in." Lester chimed in.

 _Light flashed in my head and I closed my eyes. I saw a huge dark skinned man. He was in boxing shorts and his hands were wrapped. I was wearing a red silk shirt and he had grabbed my arm and pulled me against him._

 _"Something you got to understand about the champ. First off, you don't tell the champ about respect. And second, you got to know the champ always gets what he wants." He slid his hands up to my shoulders and shook my body._

 _"You know what the champ wants right now? He wants you to be nice to him baby. Real nice, Gotta make up for refusing him. Show him some respect. Maybe show him some fear. You afraid of me bitch?" He asked._

"Ramirez." My eyes snapped open. "Ramierez the boxer."

Ranger was at my side rubbing my back. "It's okay. He's gone. He can't hurt you again."

 _My hands flew up to my neck. I remembered the feel of his hands on me. I leaned into Ranger and tried to block the image from my brain. I squeezed my eyes tightly closed. Then I saw Ranger. His dark hair was slicked back into a pony tail. I was sitting across from him at what looked like a diner or a deli. I had a sandwich on the plate in front of me._

 _"Vinnie give you a skip?" He asked me._

 _"Joseph Morelli." I answered._

 _He tipped his head back and laughed and the sound boomed off the walls of the little sandwich shop._

 _"Oh man. Are you kidding me? You aren't going to get that dude. This isn't some street punk you're going after. This guy's smart. And he's good. Do you know what I'm saying?" Ranger spoke._

 _"Connie says you're good." I informed him._

 _"There's me and then there's you, and you aren't ever going to be as good as me, sweet thing."_

 _At the best of times my patience was lacking, and this wasn't nearly the best of times. "Let me make my position clear to you." I leaned across the table, closer to him. "I'm out of work. I've had my car repossessed. My refrigerator is empty, I'm going to get kicked out of my apartment and my feet don't fit in these shoes. I haven't got a lot of energy to waste socializing. Are you going to help me or what?"_

 _He smiled. "This is going to be fun. This here's going to be like Professor Higgins and Eliza Doolittle does Trenton."_

 _The picture grew murky and my mind settled on a new image. I was naked in the shower and Morelli stood in front of me glaring. The water was off and I was cold. I had one hand covering my breasts and the other in front of my crotch._

 _"Give me your wrist." He demanded._

 _"Pervert." I spat._

 _"You wish." He clicked a handcuff onto my right wrist._

 _I pulled at the cuff. I tried to kick out at him. I was scared of what would happen next. He quickly hooked the remaining silver bracelet onto the shower rod. He was talking but the words were garbled in my memory. I could only think of how much I hated him at that moment. Then he left. I was freezing and embarrassed and wanted out of that damn shower. I went over possibilities of who to call in my mind. Anyone who could help me would be embarrassing and would tell everyone. The police, the fire company, I didn't want my dad to see me like this either._

 _I reached for the phone Morelli had handed me. I called Ranger but he hung up on me. I called him back. It seemed like he took forever to get there. Finally I heard him coming in the doorway and looked up at him._

 _"I appreciate your coming out in the middle of the night." I said._

 _Ranger smiled. "I didn't want to miss seeing you chained up naked."_

My eyes flew open and focused on Ranger. I felt the blush burn through my cheeks.

"Eliza Doolittle. Naked and cuffed to my shower rod." I nearly shouted.

Ranger chuckled. "That I vividly remember."

"What?" Lester asked.

"He had to save me after Morelli cuffed me naked to my shower rod." I explained.

"I would have helped Beautiful." Lest winked.

"Tell me more." I commanded.

"You ended up catching him. You locked him in a freezer truck. Even produced the evidence that exonerated him." Tank added.

"Wow. So why does he think I suck then?" I asked them.

"Maybe it upsets him when you are in danger." Ranger offered.

"When your cars blow up." Lester smirked.

"My cars blow up?" I asked.

 _I saw a sleek black Porsche parked in the lot of the waste management company. I heard the sudden noise. Barrrooooom! Liftoff. The garbage truck jumped off the pavement. Tires and doors flew off like Frisbees. The truck bounced down with a jolt, leaned to one side and rolled over onto the furiously burning Porsche, turning it into a Porsche pancake. Ranger's Porsche. My eyes flew open. I looked at Ranger and felt the tears roll down my face. He moved in front of me and got down to his knees. He grabbed my hand in his and then used his other to wipe away my tears._

"What's wrong Babe? What did you remember?" He asked.

"I destroyed your Porsche." I choked out.

He smiled. "Cars are easy to come by, Babe. People are harder to replace."

"You said that then and then you asked if I was okay." I told him.

"And you are okay." He kissed my cheek before he rose to his feet.

 _I leaned my head back and tried to get control. My head was pounding. I had a flash of a blonde woman, slender and beautiful. Morelli was with her. They were standing outside the door of a motel. He was at my mother's dinner table and my grandmother was talking about Morelli jumping from her window and her in a nightie. Morelli corrected her saying it was a thong and camisole. My voice echoed in my head 'Terri Gilman'._

"Who's Terri Gilman?" I asked.

I leaned forward and looked around the room as the guys looked at each other. Tank and Lester's eyes settled on Ranger but it was Hector who spoke.

"Angelito, she was, I think, Morelli's ex-girlfriend." He announced.

"Pig." Lester murmured.

"Hmmm, you're not telling me something." I looked at Hector.

"You must ask him Hermana." Hector paused. "Come here. I got another file opened."

I got up and moved to stand behind Hector. I placed both hands on his shoulders and leaned down to see the screen. It was a picture of me in a blue bikini on the beach. Ranger was behind me with his arms wrapped around my waist. I was leaning back with my head against his shoulder. I looked pensive as I stared out into the water. It was Ranger's face that caught my attention. He wasn't looking at the water. He was looking down at me with warm eyes and a gentle smile.

"There's more. There's a schedule of what you two did. Where you ate and the times you stayed in the bungalow." Hector clicked the mouse pad.

Another page came up listing dates, times and locations. Ranger was at my side with his arm wrapped around my waist and I leaned into him.

"So we are being watched?" I asked.

"At least you were. I don't know if you still are." Hector shrugged.

"Now what do we do?" I asked.

"We'll figure this out." Ranger hugged me into his side.

"I still think it has something to do with the Rug. He must have figured out why we were here and wanted to get rid of us." I shook my head.

"You are usually right." Lester joined us on my other side.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked.

"This morning Lester and I go to the hotel where The Rug and his wife are staying and ask them some questions." Tank told me.

"That's not enough back-up. Take Ranger and Hector too." I told him.

"I'm not leaving you alone." Ranger rubbed my arm.

"My head is killing me. I'll take two pills and lie down while you are gone." I informed him.

"I'm still not leaving you." He told me.

"Ranger, two won't be enough for this meeting. Please." I pleaded.

"What about you? How can we keep you safe?" He asked.

"Put a tracker on me. Trackers! You track me." I remembered pens in my purse, lipsticks, trackers on my cars.

Ranger chuckled. "Sometimes."

I swatted his chest. "Always. Listen, do what you need to do. Trackers, camera, microphone. You can check me every five minutes, just go together so I won't worry."

"Ranger, she'll be okay. She doesn't need the added stress of someone being here and her blaming herself if one of us gets hurt trying to run an op without enough men." Hector told him.

Ranger took a deep breath. "I want a tracker on her and in her purse and in her sneaker."

He grabbed my shoulders and turned me to him. He looked like he was composing what he wanted to say in his head. Doing a lot of thinking before he spoke.

"You are independent Babe and you do anything you can to help your friends. The best help you can give us is to stay here. If you disappear, if you leave this room we will all be so worried about you we won't be able to concentrate on the job and could get seriously injured."

I nodded. "I promise Ranger. I will take the pills and take a nap. I won't leave. You can trust me."

He leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss right on my lips before he pulled me into a hug. I heard some clicks and glanced around to see Tank and Lester checking their gun clips. Hector stood and pulled me into a hug.

He led me to the bedroom and I ducked into the bathroom to take care of business. I closed myself into the closet and changed into one of Ranger's shirts. Hector was waiting by the bed with a bottle of water. He handed me one pill and pulled the sheet back while I took it.

"Only one?" I asked.

"You took one with your coffee when you got up. Not enough time has passed to take two again. Be smart Estephania. Keep your promise and don't make us worry." He told me as he bent down and placed something in my shoe.

"I promise." I smiled.

I crawled into the bed and laid my head on the pillow. He handed me a small circular item and told me to attach it to my underwear. Then he handed me what looked like a car's key fob. He explained it was a panic button and with one push they would be on their way. I nodded in agreement and he kissed my cheek before he left. I was just closing my eyes when I heard the bedroom door. I looked over to see Ranger. He was standing still just watching me. He was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his strong chest.

"I'll be okay." I told him.

"I can't lose you." He moved closer.

"You won't." I assured him.

He leaned over the bed and pushed a strand of my hair behind my ear. He gave me a slight smile and placed a kiss on my forehead before he pulled away. I watched his sexy ass as he slowly walked towards the door. I realized I wanted to say something to him, something that seemed important.

"Don't get shot." I called out.

He turned and stared at me with wide eyes. He had a huge smile spreading across his face. It made me think of the sun and all of the good things that went along with such a bright light.

"Don't go crazy." He told me.

**************************************************THANK YOU*************************************

Special thanks to Maggie for all of the long and thoughtful reviews. The reviews are what keep me going. Quotes from the books: One for the Money and Hot Six. As always thank you Jenn for cleaning up my act.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9-

The world was shaking. I didn't understand what was happening. My head was pounding as it jiggled back and forth. My shoulder was shaking and I felt a warm hand on my arm. Someone was shaking me. I felt my eyes flutter as I forced them open. The ceiling was the first thing my eyes focused on. It was mostly dark in the room but it was dimly lit by some light coming in from the bathroom. I turned my head left but there was nothing to see. I glanced right and gasped when I looked directly into the beady eyes of the Rug. I recognized him right away.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked.

"uh what? Huh?" I mumbled.

Though my mind was quickly waking up from fear coursing through me, I tried to play it off as if I was groggy. I brought my hands up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. The Rug let out a deep sigh and waited for me to wake-up further.

"Now, I need an answer. Do you know who I am?" He asked me.

"No. I'm sorry. Did someone order room service?" I lied.

"No." He tilted his head to the side.

I think he was trying to figure out if I was lying. He seemed like he was testing me to determine if I really recognized him or not. I struggled to maintain my best blank face. I focused all my thoughts toward channeling my inner Ranger. He pulled up to his full height. He was trying to look intimidating. I was careful not to make any movements. I didn't want to show him that I was very intimidated and afraid of what he might do next.

"I was asked to check on your condition. I am the resort's doctor." he explained.

"Oh, thank you." I forced a smile.

He held out his hand and quickly grabbed mine. He moved his finger along to rest on my pulse. I worked hard to look relaxed and not alarmed. It made me sick to feel him touching me and I had to focus hard on not shrinking away or puking up my last meal. Where was Ranger? Where were the guys?

"Your pulse is good. How does your head feel?" He asked.

"Better after I took the pain pills. But that was before I fell asleep, I think I need to take another one again." I admitted.

"And your memories?" He leered over me.

"Just some flashes here and there, mostly of my family." I lied.

"I know it's hard but the most important thing is to be grateful you made it through the accident." He patted my hand.

"You're right." I frowned at him.

"Okay, I'm going to leave you to your rest." he gave me half a smile.

"What time is it?" I asked him.

He glanced at his watch. "Just after dinner time. I'm sure your friends will be back soon."

"Thank you." I told him.

I watched him as he moved away from the bed and slowly crept towards the door. He pulled it open and took a step forward before he froze and turned back to look at me. His hand never released the doorknob as he stood there and watched me. It seemed like he was having an internal debate with himself. He turned away and I relaxed against the pillow. I closed my eyes and began to roll over on my side. Then I heard it. It was the sound of a gun, I heard the hammer being pulled back. I couldn't help myself, I turned to look at him.

"I'm sorry Ms. Plum." He announced.

"Why?" I asked.

"You should have just let my wife and I live in peace. You should have minded your own business. We didn't run halfway around the world just to be found by a bumbling bounty hunter and her Latin lover." He sneered.

I tried to think of something to say, some way to make him pause and talk more. I needed to keep him busy and hope that the guys would make it back here in time to help me. Speaking of the guys, where the hell were they? Did something happen to them?

"I'm sorry. I don't remember. Please don't hurt me." I hated the whiny sound of my voice.

"I wish I could spare you. If I let you live you won't give up on this. You are like a dog with a bone and you won't give up until you find my wife and I again. With your dumb luck you just might accomplish that. I can't take the chance." He looked remorseful.

"I thought you were the doctor. I don't know who your wife is." I rambled on trying to delay him. "This is my first real vacation in years. I don't know who you are but I certainly didn't come here for you. I don't know why you want to shoot me but I wasn't going to do anything to you or your wife." I tried to bluff him.

"Sorry, you only have yourself to blame for this." He sighed.

Then I closed my eyes and he pulled the trigger. I heard one shot and then heard struggling. I heard grunts and things breaking. I felt around my head looking for blood. I was looking for a gunshot even though I hadn't felt the sting of a bullet, I was nearly deaf. My ears were ringing and it sounded like the gun went off right next to my head. I took some deep breaths and then opened my eyes at the same time I heard one final grown. I quickly changed my mind and squeezed my eyes shut tightly. I was afraid to see what went on. I was afraid to see those beady little eyes staring at me or having to look down the barrel of a gun.

"Ms. Plum?" I heard a new voice.

My eyes shot open and I focused my vision in the direction of the voice. I gazed into two bright emerald eyes. I searched the handsome concerned face. Did I know this man? He was about six feet tall with dark brown hair that was almost black. He had muscles that showed off the hard work he must be putting in at the gym. He had a tan that showcased the color of his beautiful green eyes. I was speechless. I didn't know what to say to him. I stayed still in my spot and he approached the side of the bed.

"Ms. Plum?" he called louder trying to get my attention.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"He's cuffed and unconscious." He assured me.

"Are you okay? I think I'm okay. I don't think I'm bleeding." I babbled.

"I'm okay and you're okay. The bullet missed you." He informed me.

"How did you know I needed help?" I asked him.

He reached out his hand, palm up and I looked at it. I was unsure of what he wanted. I decided to reach my hand out to meet his and he pulled me up away from the pillow. He pulled more and I dropped my feet off of the side of the bed until they rested on the floor. He kept pulling as he guided me to my feet. He put his hands on my shoulders and spun me around. I looked back at the bed where I had just been sleeping and gasped. There was still an outline on the pillow from my head and right beside that outline was a small black hole, a bullet hole. My knees went weak and the man grabbed me to stop me from falling. I was in a sudden panic and I couldn't breathe. He grabbed me and pulled me against him as he rubbed my back.

"It's okay. No one is going to hurt you now. It's okay. Just breathe. I got ya," He soothed me.

"But the bullet and the Rug." I muttered.

I shut my eyes tight trying to block everything out. That bullet hole had been so close to my head. Just another couple of inches and I would be dead. If not for the strong arms around me I would have crumpled to a heap on the floor. My attention was brought back to the warm hands that stroked up and down my spine. I heard the whispered sounds of 'shh' coming from the mouth of the man that held me against him. It was only then I realized I was shaking with silent sobs. There I went again allowing my emotions to get the better of me. I felt like I should be stronger than I was, I was disappointed at the loss of my composure.

"Step away from her." I heard a voice command.

My head snapped up and I found Lester in the doorway with his gun aimed our way. Before I could say anything, I felt a hand on my arm and I was pulled away from the handsome green-eyed man. I was roughly pulled against the body that the arm was attached to. As soon as my head pressed into his chest I knew it was Ranger. I looked up at him but his eyes were focused on my new-found hero. I trailed my eyes along his arm and noticed the gun he was holding was pressed into the temple of the man.

"Whoa." The green-eyed man spoke.

He was holding up his hands in a 'don't shoot' motion. I tried to pull away from Ranger's chest but he pulled me tighter against him. I heard what I assumed was Lester moving closer and more footsteps enter the room.

"Don't Ranger. He saved me." I spoke through my tears.

"Why are you crying?" Ranger asked never taking his eyes off of his prey.

I moved to pull away and this time his arm eased up. I turned to face the bed and pointed to the hole in the pillow. He glanced over to see what I was gesturing to and his eyes went wide. He took a step closer to the man as I felt the anger pulse through his body.

"The Rug broke in and tried to shoot me.. This guy grabbed him and saved my life." I explained.

"Check them." Ranger ordered.

I watched Tank inspect the Rug's prone body. Hector moved closer and frisked my new savior. Hector produced a glock from behind the man's back.

"That's it." Hector reported.

"Unconscious." Tank reported.

"Who are you?" Ranger slightly lowered his gun.

"I'm your new neighbor. I got in yesterday." The man explained.

"What are you doing in her room?" Lester asked him.

"I was sitting on my porch and saw that man lurking around. He was testing all of the windows and doors. He disappeared behind the building and when I didn't see him come back I decided to investigate. After walking around the building, I went to the front door. It was slightly open so I stepped inside. I found him with a gun trained on your friend here and then I tackled him. Unfortunately, he got off a shot before I could stop him. I cuffed him and decided to check on your friend. Either his aim was off or my tackle affected his targeting because the bullet missed her." The neighbor explained.

"Why do you have cuffs?" Tank asked.

"And a glock?" Hector added.

"Can I take out my wallet?" The man asked.

Ranger shook his head no and Lester reached into the man's back pocket. He handed the wallet to Ranger who flipped it open. I moved up onto my tip toes and looked at the wallet. His name was Luca Alessandro Romano, obviously Italian. Inside was a New York City police detective's badge that read Romano. Ranger flipped through some of the dividers and such. There was a picture of him graduating police academy with who appeared to be his parents smiling happily along with him. A picture of him and another man that looked similar enough to be his brother. Finally, there was a picture of him with a beautiful woman and a little girl who looked like him.

"Aren't you out of your jurisdiction here detective?" Ranger asked him.

"I'm not here in a police capacity. I am on vacation." The man relaxed his hands.

"Without your family?" Ranger pushed.

"My family is none of your business." The detective glared at him.

I didn't like how this was going. Guns were still raised and the tension in the room was explosive. At least all of this testosterone was taking my mind off of the bullet hole that laid barely six inches from where my head was. I put my hands against Ranger's chest and pulled out of his arms. I turned to face the man who had saved my life and held out my right hand.

"Thank you very much detective. You saved my life. I'm sorry I got so upset when I saw the bullet hole." I wanted to shake his hand.

"You are a very strong woman, lesser men would have passed out in your situation." He shot me a huge grin and took my hand and shook it. Then he lifted it to his mouth and kissed the back of it.

At my mention of the bullet hole Ranger's head snapped around to look at the bed again. I watched his jaw tense and it sounded like his teeth may have ground together. I could feel the anger radiating off of him, but I wasn't sure if it was directed at me or someone else. He nodded to Hector and tucked his own gun into his back. A moan sounded from the floor and I glanced towards the Rug as Lester kicked him.

"Maybe you guys should take a walk and let me call this in. I don't know what's going on here, but I can tell the police what happened from my side and there shouldn't be any problem." The detective offered.

"That's nice of you." Lester muttered sarcastically.

"Just take a walk and I'll handle it." He told Lester.

"We're not going anywhere." Lester glared at him.

"That's all well and good but Stephanie can't be left alone. There is still a threat." Tank announced.

"She wouldn't be alone." Luca told Tank.

"It's not safe." Lester told him.

At his words I leaned back into Ranger's chest and he wrapped his arms around my waist to hold me steady. My head was swimming. There was a lot of testosterone and too many guns in the room. A part of me wanted to pull away from Ranger and yell at Lester and this cop for talking about what to do without including me. I may not remember much but I knew I didn't appreciate being ignored while other's made decisions for me. Hector moved to stand in front of me and crouched down to look into my eyes. I was trembling.

"It's okay Angelito. The most dangerous one is right here in handcuffs. You will make your own decisions and Boss and I will have your back. The others all worry because you are so special. Tomorrow night we go home." Hector spoke softly.

Did he have ESP? I nodded as his hand came up to stroke my cheek. I felt a tear slide down it. What the hell was wrong with me? Was I always such a cry baby? I felt like I was walking around on egg shells, constantly on the edge of tears. I was getting worried someone might just say hello to me and cause me to fall into body racking sobs. I needed to get myself together. I needed to figure out what I was going to do even if I never got back all of my memories.

"I gotta call this in." Luca announced.

"Wait, this man is Simon Raguzzi. He is FTA from Trenton New Jersey. We are here to escort him back to jail." Ranger told him.

"So, you're bounty hunters?" Luca clarified.

"Fugitive apprehension agents." Lester corrected.

"Well we still need to call the police and have him taken into custody and charged with attempted murder. The police can hold him overnight at the station. You can pick him up after he sees the judge and take him back to Trenton." Luca explained.

Ranger nodded at him and Luca pulled out his cell phone preparing to dial.

"Are you okay with this?" Luca asked me.

"Yeah." I sniffled.

"I'll wait if you want me to." he offered.

"No. It's just that I'm the one that found the Rug originally. I called my friends to bring the apprension papers. He's here in this room now because of me." I explained.

"You're a bounty hunter too?" Luca asked me.

"Yes I am. Well at least I use to be." I answered.

"So, you ready for me to call the cops?" He asked me.

"Sure, let's just get it over with." I sighed.

I reached down and gave Ranger's hands a soft squeeze before I pulled them from around my waist. I stepped away from him to stand on my own two feet with no assistance. Luca stepped to the living room to make the call. Tank and Lester left the room to do whatever they needed to do. Ranger was watching me and Hector was watching Luca. It suddenly occurred to me that I was still wearing Ranger's t-shirt with panties. I slid into the closet and grabbed my shorts and tank top from earlier in the day.

"I need to go to the bathroom." I announced.

I didn't wait for a response or anyone's approval. I just went straight into the bathroom and quickly locked the door. I looked at myself in the mirror and almost screamed. My hair was a mess from sleeping and my face was blotchy from tears. I took care of nature's call and then washed my hands before I splashed water in my face. I needed to calm down and pull myself together. Where was this tough Stephanie that I had been hearing about? The Stephanie who handled blown up cars, caught bad guys and juggled two men in her love life? I felt weak and I felt disappointed in myself. I quickly got dressed, suddenly embarrassed I had spent all of that time in front of a stranger in just a t-shirt and panties. Luckily it was Ranger's shirt and was long enough to cover everything. I pulled my hair back into a frizzy ponytail, without a shower there wasn't a whole lot I could do with it. There was a knock on the door and I opened it to see Hector.

"The police are here." He informed me.

"How long have I been in here?" I asked him.

"Twenty minutes." he shrugged.

"I'm such a mess." I rolled my eyes.

I moved out of the bathroom and Luca motioned for me to come to his side. I noticed right away that all the guns had magically disappeared. An officer stood in front of him while another was crouched over the Rug. I slowly crept over next to him and listened as he answered the questions the police officer asked. Then I was asked what happened and how I knew the Rug.

"Well officer, I was sleeping when he broke in and woke me up. I recognized him right away but tried to convince him that I didn't know him. He told me he was the Hotel doctor. I thought he believed me, he turned like he was going to leave. He got to the bedroom door but then he pulled out his gun, cocked the hammer and aimed it at me. I heard the gun go off and a struggle in the room but it was dark and I couldn't really see what was happening. Then Luca came over to check on me. He saved my life." I detailed the events for him.

"Miss how do you know your assailant?" Officer Kalani asked me.

"Well I know his name is Simon Ruguzzi. He jumped bail in Trenton, New Jersey and Ranger came here to help me apprehend him and take him back. But honestly, I don't remember seeing him before. I was in a car accident a few days ago and got a bad concussion. I can't remember anything that happened before I woke up in the hospital." I told him.

I answered everything else to the best of my abilities, leaving out anything having to do with my guys. Ranger showed them the paperwork that allows him to take the Rug into custody and back to Trenton.

I think Luca being a detective seemed to help us out with the local officers. They didn't question the account of events we had given them, and it was okay because I really had nothing to hide. I was feeling disappointed in myself and my emotions were all over the place. I vowed that things from this moment on would change. I was going to stand on my own two feet and meet whatever challenges came my way without immediately crying or freaking out. Finally, the police left us with handshakes and approval for a job well done, dragging a now conscious Simon with them.

"I'm sorry this happened to you." Luca interrupted my thoughts.

"It's not your fault." I assured him.

"You look so sad. What can I do for you?" He asked me.

"I'll be fine." I lifted my chin up.

"Well, if there's anything…" He offered

"Keep your eyes open and don't be afraid to stop by if you see anyone creeping around the place." I interrupted.

"That I can do." He smiled.

"Dinner." Hector announced.

I glanced around to get my bearings. Luca and I were in the living room standing in front of the couch. Tank and Lester had settled in at the kitchen table pouring through papers. Hector was in the kitchen producing tasty smells. I didn't see Ranger anywhere.

"I should go." Luca told me.

"You are welcome to stay for dinner." I offered.

He chuckled as he scanned the room. All three guys were staring at him and not one of them had a welcoming face. Luca pulled out his wallet and grabbed a white card before he stretched his hand out to me. I reached for the card and glanced down at it.

"This is my card if you need anything. That's my cell." He pointed to a hand-written number at the bottom.

"Thank you. That's nice of you." I smiled.

"It was nice meeting you Ms. Plum." He met my smile with his own.

"Manoso." I heard Ranger's deep voice.

"Yes." I nodded. "It's Stephanie Manoso, but you can call me Steph. That man, the Rug, he called me by my maiden name."

"I see. Well, it was still nice to meet you Steph. Hopefully the next time we meet it will be under better circumstances." He took a step towards the door.

"Thanks again." I told him.

"If you need anything once I am back home, don't hesitate to call." He announced to the men.

"Will do." Ranger nodded.

"Thank you for protecting our Angelito." Hector said to him.

Luca nodded and moved to the door. When he pulled it open I thought I heard him murmur. "She is definitely an angel."

I turned to look at Ranger. He was standing in the doorway to the bedroom. When Luca shut the door Ranger turned around and went back into the room. I looked at Hector in question and he simply nodded. I needed to find out what was wrong with Ranger so I headed for the bedroom. Ranger was standing beside the bed glancing at the bullet hole. I stepped inside and closed the door behind me. He didn't move when the door clicked shut.

"Ranger." I called out.

He never looked up so I crossed over to him. I stood beside him but he didn't acknowledge me at all. I waited but received no response. I sighed out loud waiting for him to glance at me and still nothing. I moved in front of him and bent down until our eyes met. He finally focused on me and reached out to pull me into him. I buried my face into his neck as his warm arms enveloped me.

"I like the way you smell." I spoke against his neck.

He laughed. "You've said that before Babe."

"Are you okay?" I squeezed him tight around his waist.

"Me? You're the one who almost got shot in the head." He exclaimed.

"But I didn't." I tried to comfort him.

"No, you didn't because some cop saved you. I knew I shouldn't have left." He rested his chin on the top of my head.

"It's not your fault, I told you to go with the guys." I kissed his neck.

"It's always something, we never get any peace." He confided.

"I thought we did here in Hawaii?" I asked.

"Before tonight? Before the accident?" He questioned me.

"You said we had a great time together." I reminded him.

"That we did Babe." He pulled his head back and kissed my forehead.

"Now what do we do?" I asked.

"Now I try to control myself and realize that wearing my ring or not you are a beautiful woman and men are going to hit on you. I need to work on my jealousy and it kills me to admit I'm jealous." He pressed his lips to my nose.

"Jealous? Jealous of Luca?" I asked.

"No, not jealous per say, I just never want to share you. Not with him. Not with Morelli. Not with anyone." He stepped away and shook his head.

"What?" I was curious.

He ran his fingers through his hair. "I promised myself I wasn't going to do this. I promised myself I wasn't going to pressure you. I want to wait until you are better. I want to wait until you get your memories back."

"What if they never come back?" I asked.

"We'll deal with it then, but for now you are doing great. You had a lot of memories come back yesterday. Just be patient, give yourself some time and we will try to talk about home more. That seems to help you remember." He looked over at me.

He came back to me and grabbed my left hand. He pulled it to his lips and placed several kisses on the back of my hand before he kissed the rings I wore to show the world I belonged to him. He linked his fingers with mine and led me out into the kitchen. Lester was setting the table and Tank was helping Lester to carry in plates. All three men looked up when we entered the room.

"Mommy and Daddy made up." Lester teased.

"We weren't fighting." I shook my head.

"That cop had it bad for you, Beautiful. He didn't even care about the bruises on your face or the ring on your finger." Lester remarked.

"Shut up." Tank slapped him in the back of the head.

"Ow man what the hell." Lester grabbed the back of his head.

"Sit down." Ranger ordered.

We all moved to sit down around the table. Hector brought over grated cheese and sprinkled a lot of it on top of my pasta. He had made spaghetti for dinner. Ranger went into the kitchen and after a few minutes he emerged with salad for everyone. Lester got up next and came back with garlic toast for the two of us. Hector set a glass of water and a pill in front of me and I quickly took it. With everything that had happened tonight I had forgotten my head was still pounding.

Fifteen minutes later I was sufficiently stuffed. I leaned back to relax in the chair. Once the guys were all done I helped Hector clear the dishes and then dropped down onto the couch.

"What happened today?" I asked.

"We grabbed Tootie but obviously we missed the Rug. We were waiting in their hotel room for him to return." Lester answered.

"What did you do with her?" I asked.

"We questioned her and she finally admitted that they had recognized you from your pictures in the paper. The Rug was worried that you were here to bring him in, so he tried to hire a hitman to take you out. They didn't recognize me. They just thought I was here to be your muscle." Ranger explained.

"So where is she now?"

"We turned her over to the police as an accessory to attempted murder. There wasn't really enough proof to charge her but enough for the police to hold her and investigate. Maybe with him coming here and trying to kill you that might change. We can't turn over the file you found, your picture they had or the emails because we broke into their hotel room to get them. If nothing else it will keep her out of trouble for a few hours." Lester said.

"So now I am safe?" I asked.

"Not exactly." Tank replied. "There is still a threat to your life. The original guy the Rug hired obviously didn't get the job done, that's why he came here to take you out himself. The contract on your life is still out there. "

"What the hell? How many people want me dead and why is everyone after me?" I was frustrated.

"We don't know who it was but we know that guy that cut your brake lines met with someone at The Four Seasons. We just have to figure out who." Ranger said.

"Until then we get to keep protecting your beautiful bod." Lester said waggling his eyebrows at me.

"Fine," I huffed. "Now what do we do with the Rug? How does this whole process work?"

"Cal and Hal are going to fly in tomorrow morning and wait at the courthouse. After he is charged, they will take him back to Trenton." Tank filled me in. "Hal and Cal?" I asked. "Hal is the one I stunned?" I asked, remembering a large overly muscular man handing me his stun gun and me stunning him with it.

"Yeah Beautiful and we are still holding it against him." Lester chuckled.

 _My eyes fluttered and I saw a vision of me in the hospital. A woman was having a baby. My sister. This blond is St. Val my perfect sister? She was on a gurney yelling with her legs open. Her water broke all over the guy next to me and he fainted. I looked down to find a very large Caucasian man with a big flaming skull tattoo right on his forehead._

"Cal is the one with the tattoo, he fainted." I announced.

"Yeah." Hector smiled.

"Damn it." I mumbled to myself.

"What's wrong?" Tank asked.

"It's so frustrating because some memories come easy and some don't come at all. Why am I remembering all this inconsequential crap but none of the important things?" I asked to no one in particular.

"I'm going to tell Cal you called him inconsequential." Lester joked.

"Be patient Steph." Tank told me.

"I didn't mean it like that." I glared at Lester.

"I know." He rolled his eyes.

"I slept the day away while you all risked your lives. Then I get woken up by some maniac. I hate being scared, hate being emotional and hate feeling like I have no control."

"Steph." Tank tried to comfort me.

"I'm sorry. I know I am ranting but you guys are all I have. I just don't know what's going to happen next." I admitted.

"You don't have to figure it all out today." Lester offered.

"I know." I sighed. "Thanks."

"What do you need?" Tank asked me.

"I'm okay now. I am just done. Done with being afraid and done with doubting myself. I want to be my old self again. I want my life back." I announced.

"You will have it." Hector promised.

"I want to go home." I told them.

"Tomorrow." Ranger reminded me.

"You'll feel better after a good night's sleep." Lester suggested.

"I can't even sleep. I'm not tired. I slept the day away." I paused. "I'm going for a walk."

"Steph." Lester called out to me.

"I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now." I motioned for him to stop with my hand.

"Will you stay near the bungalow?" Hector asked.

"Yes." I rolled my eyes.

I plastered a smile on my face when I walked past the table. The guys didn't even pretend not to be watching me with worried looks on their faces. I stepped through the sliding glass doors, onto the patio and the cool night air immediately relaxed me. I pulled the door closed tight behind me and took a few steps towards the sand. The white water of the cresting waves shimmered in the moonlight. I smiled and shuffled towards the water as my toes skimmed through the sand. When my feet touched the wetness of the salty ocean I released a squeal of delight.

 _It was warm and I was surprised. I was reminded of the cold water of the New Jersey beaches. I saw myself as a child playing in the sand with other friends and then later as a teen enjoying the waves with friends. There was something about me that craved the smells, sounds and sights of the beach. I exhaled a big contented sigh and gingerly sat myself down at the water's edge. I wiggled my toes in the wet sand and let the water go in between my toes. I thought back to the events of tonight. The guys didn't seem surprised or nervous, only concerned for me. It just felt like this was something they were used to. Is this really my life? Ugh! What the hell am I going to do? I had a roller coaster life but didn't know who was operating the ride or who was supposed to be sitting next to me._

I thought about Morelli and his movie star good looks. I loved him and he was comforting, familiar. But I hated the way he called me Cupcake and he seemed to be a bit domineering. Then there was Ranger and I loved him too. I just couldn't help but think there was something wrong with our relationship. The whole conversation about not being emotionally distanced from me was weird. There was something I was missing about my relationship with him and I wasn't quite sure if it was good or bad. When I pictured the memory in my head he seemed unhappy to be emotionally involved. But here we were married and he had said we meant it.

What if I choose one and we move forward and then my memory returns completely and I am with the wrong guy? If I wait for my memory to come back, that may never happen. Maybe I should just ditch them both and start over with Luca. At least he won't expect me to remember anything about him. I laughed out loud at that thought.

"You okay Babe?" I jumped at the voice.

"Yeah." I quickly answered.

"Something must have been funny to make you laugh out loud." Ranger plopped down beside me.

"My life." I joked,

"Babe."

He slung an arm around my shoulders and I leaned into him. I noticed he was barefoot but he kept his toes away from the water. I used my left foot to wrap around the back of his right ankle and pulled the foot into the water. I wiggled my toes with his and heard him breathe out a quick laugh. Soon he extended his other leg and our toes were buried by the waves in the sand.

"I didn't mean to interrupt you. I just wanted to check on you." He spoke quietly.

"It's okay." I acknowledged.

"I meant it when I said I didn't want to pressure you and I am working very hard to answer every question you ask." He leaned into me.

"Why do you have to work hard to answer my questions?" I quirked my eyebrows.

"I'm a private person." He remarked.

"Oh." I paused. "Why are you doing it then? You shouldn't change just to help me."

"You're my wife. I would do anything for you." His words barely reached my ears.

I wanted to say a million things. I wanted to ask him what the hell that meant. Wasn't the marriage fake? A lie for the apprehension? But then he had said we meant it. This man was confusing. I wondered if I confused him. I decided it was no longer time for questions or deep thoughts. I just closed my eyes and enjoyed the silence. I felt his large hand gently stroke up and down my arm and I completely relaxed against him.

The music! That damn music! My head was pounding as I reached around to find the source of that music. I forced my eyes open and spotted the offending phone on the night stand. I leaped across the bed and grabbed it up into my hand before smashing down the answer key with my finger.

"What?" I growled.

"Cupcake. What's wrong? Are you okay?" It was Morelli.

"I was sleeping." I groaned.

"I forgot about the time change. It's almost noon here." He explained.

I forced one eye open and glanced at the clock's glowing numbers.

"It's not even seven here Morelli." I told him.

"Can you at least try to call me Joe?" His voice grew angry.

"What?" I was confused.

"Don't you realize what this is doing to me? I'm all alone back here having to deal with your friends and family and every other nosy gossip in the Burg asking me every day where are you and why aren't you with me. I am running out of excuses and frankly I am pretty tired of looking like the loser here." I could hear his temper.

"I'm coming home tonight. You knew the doctor said five days yet every time we talk you act surprised that I'm not on my way home." I was exasperated.

"Cupcake, you're supposed to be with me. Everyone is asking me about when you're coming home to be with me. I am your fiancée." He sounded calmer but there was still anger in his voice.

"By tomorrow morning you can just direct all calls and questions to me. Is that all?" I allowed my eyes to slowly open.

"No, that's not all. I miss you god damn it. I miss your face, your hair, your legs, your…" his mood was changing.

"I get it. You're just going to have to be patient because I still don't remember most of my life." I cut him off.

"Are you still keeping your promise?" He quickly asked.

"You've got to be kidding me. Am I a big liar or something? I gave you my word and I kept it so quit pestering me about it." I ordered.

"Let it go? So, I'm just supposed to sit here and do nothing while Manoso is trying to worm his way into your bed every minute of the day?" He breathed out long breath. "Stephanie, I don't know what he has told you about your relationship. He is your mentor and I will admit he is great at what he does. But, don't be fooled. He is not a relationship kind of guy. He has been trying to get into your pants for years. That's who he is. He's an opportunist and has no plans for any kind of commitment no matter what he's told you. I don't want him to talk you into something you will regret."

"I appreciate your concern Joe, but he's not pressuring me." I rolled my eyes.

We sat in silence and I inched my way up in the bed until I was resting my back against the headboard. I didn't see Ranger anywhere and I didn't even remember getting into bed last night. The last thing I remembered was being on the beach with him. Hopefully I had just fallen asleep and this wasn't a new memory loss.

"I'm sorry Steph. Listen, your mom's right here and she wants to talk to you. I told her you wanted to wait until you got back to see everyone but she insisted." He explained.

"Fine." I rubbed my eyes.

"Stephanie Plum? This is your mother." The voice at the other end announced.

I bit down on my lip to resist the urge to correct her that my name was now Manoso. I gave her a hum of acknowledgement for her to go on.

"You need to get home to Joseph and to your family. Do you know what everyone's saying? Everyone thinks you ran off with that murderer. Women are going to be coming out of the woodwork to try to snatch Joseph up while they think he is available again." She was insistent.

"Murderer?" I asked.

"Yeah, that man in black. I know what they say about him. Joseph told me about his business. You just need to come home and fix this before you end up alone forever." She commanded.

"So, all you do is listen to gossip? If he's so bad why did Joe leave me here with him?" I asked.

"He has a job Stephanie. A very important job. He can't just drop everything to bail you out every time you get yourself involved in one of your typical disasters. Some people still believe in trying to make a living by doing the right thing and upholding the law rather than breaking it." She went on.

"Why are you yelling at me?" I asked her.

"Someone needs to talk some sense into you. Joseph was very upset when he came over this morning." She informed me.

"Oh, was he?" I sat up.

"Steph. Steph, it's not like that." Joe was back on the phone.

"I have a headache. I need to get up and take a pill." I announced.

"What time is your flight coming in?" He asked.

"I don't know." I told him.

"What airline?" He inquired.

"I don't know." I repeated.

"Steph, I want to pick you up from the airport. I need to see you. Don't you think you owe me? I let you stay there with him." Morelli pestered.

"You let me?" I nearly screamed "You let me?"

"Cupcake, come on. I didn't mean it like that." He lowered his voice.

"I'll call you when I'm home." I dismissed him.

"Home? My house? Your parent's house?" He questioned.

"Home to Trenton." I disconnected.

I hopped out of the bed and threw open the patio doors. I trekked across the sand and made it almost all the way to the water before I exploded into a loud scream. It wasn't like a horror movie I'm about to get killed scream. It was more of a growling I hate presumptuous pompous assholes kind of scream. I squeezed my hands so tightly I felt my fingernails dig into my palms and I may or may not have allowed myself to jump up and down a couple of times like a toddler throwing a fit.

"Stephanie?" There was a voice to my left.

"Kill me now." I muttered.

"I'd be happy to lend you an ear but I try to avoid that whole suicide by cop thing." Luca moved closer to me.

I glanced down quickly to see what I was wearing and happily relaxed when I saw that Ranger had changed me into boxer shorts along with his t-shirt instead of just panties. Well, I was assuming it was Ranger or else things were going to be pretty awkward if Lester or Tank changed me.

"I'm fine." I forced a smile.

"Estephania." Hector called out.

I turned to see him back on the patio waving to me. Tank walked out behind him and quickly crossed his arms. Ranger and Lester were nowhere to be found. Where the hell was Ranger? I felt uneasy if I was away from him for too long. Luca's head twisted back and forth looking between me and the guys.

"I'll be right there." I hollered to Hector.

"Uhm, I don't mean to be a dick but I won't be able to sleep if I don't ask you." Luca hesitated. "Are you being held against your will?"

I laughed. "No. I am being taken care of by my very best friends while I try to get my memory back."

"Yeah, I heard you telling the cops about your car accident. I'm glad you're okay." He stepped away from me.

"Yeah, I'm lucky." I shrugged.

"You have no idea." He said softly.

*************************THANK YOU************************************

Thank you for your amazing review Donna!  
Thank you Vulcan Rider for the long and thoughtful review.  
Luv you Jenn! You complete me!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10-

"Did you want to talk about why you felt the need to stumble from your bed and scream at the ocean?" Luca asked me.

"How do you know I stumbled from my bed?" I asked.

I watched his eyes glance at my hair and knew right away. I must have looked like the bride of Frankenstein. I didn't even bother to reach up to try to smooth my hair at all. I rolled my eyes at him and set a hand on my hip.

"It's the Italian in me. I have curly hair and this is what happens. Now is probably not the time to tell me how bad I look." I spat out.

He raised both of his hands palms out. "Hey, I didn't say it wasn't attractive."

"Sure." I dismissed him.

I took a few steps away, stepping closer to the water. I wasn't trying to be rude or ignore Luca but my mind was swimming with thoughts. I tried to focus on the crystal blue water and how it shimmered in the sun. My mind kept wandering, I had all of these voices in my head. Morelli telling me how he worried about me, complaining about acid reflux. I could see myself relaxing into his hug so many times. He loved me. I saw Joe's comfortable house and watched as I woke up in his bed surrounded by warmth and comfort.

Then it switched to his words about Ranger. How he was dangerous. I could hear phrases he had told me about Ranger in the past. He called him a loose cannon and warned me working with Ranger would get me killed. Somehow the word opportunist was stuck in my brain. My eyes closed and I was in a parking lot. It was my apartment complex.

 _I had my gun in my hand before I got out of the car. I crossed the lot and entered the building. I paused when I got to my door. This was always the tricky part. Once I was in the apartment I felt fairly secure. I had a security chain and a bolt besides the deadlock. Only Ranger could get in unannounced. Either he walked through the door ghost style, or else he vaporized himself like a vampire and slid under the jamb. I guess there might be a mortal possibility, but I didn't know what it was._

 _I unlocked my door and searched through my apartment like the movie version of a CIA operative, skulking from room to room, gun drawn, crouched position, ready to fire. I was crashing open doors and jumping around. Good thing no one was there to see me because I knew I looked like an idiot. The good part was, I didn't find any rabbits with their tools hanging out. Compared to rape by the rabbit, spiders and snakes seemed like small change._

 _Ranger called ten minutes after I got into my apartment._

" _Are you going to be home for a while?" he asked. "I want to send someone over to set up a security system."_

 _So, the man of mystery reads minds, too._

" _My man's name is Hector," Ranger said. "He's on his way."_

 _Hector was slim and Hispanic, dressed in black. He had a gang slogan tattooed onto his neck and a single tear tattooed under his eye. He was in his early twenties, and he only spoke Spanish._

 _Hector had my door open and was making a final adjustment when Ranger arrived. Ranger gave a barely audible greeting to Hector in Spanish and glanced at the sensor that had just been installed in my doorjamb._

 _Then Ranger looked at me, giving away nothing of his thoughts. Our eyes held for a few long moments, and Ranger turned back to Hector. My Spanish is limited to burrito and taco, so I couldn't understand the exchange between Ranger and Hector. Hector was talking and gesturing, and Ranger was listening and questioning. Hector gave Ranger a small gizmo, picked up his tool chest, and left._

 _Ranger crooked his finger at me, giving me the come here sign. "This is your remote. It's a keypad, small enough to hook to your car key. You have a four-digit code to open and close your door. If the door has been violated the remote will tell you. You're not attached to a watchdog. There's no alarm. This is designed to give you easy access and to tell you if someone's broken into your apartment, so you have no more surprises. You have a steel fire door, and Hector's installed a floor bolt. If you lock yourself in, you should be safe. There's not much I can do about your windows. The fire escape is a problem. It's less of a problem if you keep your gun on your nightstand."_

 _I looked down at the remote. "Does this go on the tab?"_

" _There's no tab. And there's no price for what we give each other. Not ever. Not financial. Not emotional. I have to get back to work."_

 _He stepped away to leave, and I grabbed him by the front of his shirt. "Not so fast. This isn't television. This is my life. I want to know more about this no-emotional-price thing?"_

" _It's the way it has to be."_

" _And what's this job you have to get back to?"_

" _I'm running a surveillance operation for a government agency. We're independent contractors. You aren't going to grill me on details, are you?"_

 _I released his shirt and blew out a sigh. "I can't do this. This isn't going to work."_

" _I know," Ranger said. "You need to repair your relationship with Morelli."_

" _We needed a time-out."_

" _I'm being a good guy right now because it suits my purposes, but I'm an opportunist, and I'm attracted to you. And I'll be back in your bed if the Morelli time-out goes on for too long. I could make you forget Morelli if I put my mind to it. That wouldn't be good for either of us."_

" _Yeesh."_

 _Ranger smiled. "Lock your door." And he was gone._

My eyes shot open and I whispered. "An opportunist."

I wrapped my arms around my shoulders and hugged myself. What the hell was that? I was more confused than ever. No price? What the hell did that mean? Was he referring to an unconditional thing? Like we could give each other whatever we chose without having to qualify anything? Or maybe the no price thing meant he wanted to give and take without having it really mean anything? I was more confused than ever. I felt someone beside me before an arm patted my shoulder. I looked up to see Luca and leaned away from him.

"I'm sorry. You looked like you needed a hug, but I didn't want to freak you out." He shrugged.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." I gave him a tight-lipped smile.

"Whatever it is it can't be that bad. Things aren't always as bad as they seem." He tried to console me.

"Things will get better." Hector promised.

I turned to see him standing a few feet away from me. I bit down into my lip to keep the tears at bay. For just one brief second an image of him holding his hand like a gun saying 'bang bang' flashed through my mind.

"I'm fine Hector. No, wait, I'm not fine. That asshole cop called me." I glanced at Luca. "No offense."

"None taken." He gave me another palms out arm raised.

I focused back on Hector who had a slight raise at the corners of his mouth.

"He was at my parent's home. At my freaking home. He put my mother on the phone and she yelled at me. My head is killing me and she doesn't even ask me how I am, she just yells at me about Joe. The only memories I have had about her tell me she is a bitch who hates me. Yeah, so that's what I'm supposed to look forward to? My family? They don't seem to give a shit about me. My fiancée? He is an asshole." I was ranting.

"That doesn't sound good." Luca shook his head.

"Right? It doesn't! So why should I go back to Trenton? Maybe I would be better off if I never got my memory back. Take off and go live in the middle of nowhere." I sighed.

"I'm sure there are a lot of people out there who love you, and they would definitely miss you." Luca rested his hand on my shoulder and gave me a squeeze.

"Like my fiancée? Or whatever the hell he is to me. He claims he loves me but he just wants to control me. He is trying to change me into something I'm not. He calls me by a stupid food nickname." I paused and snapped my head over to focus on Luca again.

"Would you call a girl Cupcake? Do you think that's sexy? I could deal with babe. I could even deal with honey or hun, Sweetheart or sweetie even, but not Cupcake. Am I right?" I asked him.

He took a step back and smiled at me as he nodded his head. "You are right. That is ridiculous. Next thing you know men will be calling women ho ho's and ding dong's"

I started to look back at Hector to continue my rant when Luca's words reverberated in my ears. I smiled. I snickered and then I burst out laughing. A big toothy smile spread across Hector's face. I turned to face Luca who had dropped his hands and was sporting a bright smile of his own.

"No guy better even think of calling me a ho ho or a ding dong." I warned him.

"How about twinkie?" He asked.

"No" I laughed.

"Tasty Cake? Crimpet?" He suggested.

"No and No." I giggled.

"Devil Dog?" He offered.

"No!" I laughed harder.

"Cosmic Brownie." He sounded out the first word slowly.

"What? No!" I shook my head.

"Molten Lava." He tried to make it sound sexy and finished by raising his eyebrows.

"Hell no!" I exclaimed.

We all exploded into full out belly laughs. Hector was bent at the waist as his deep voice bellowed out in laughter. I had tears in my eyes as I watched Luca toss his head back as deep chuckles tumbled from him.

"How about just Steph?" Luca finally suggested as I nodded.

"Can I still use Angelito?" Hector asked.

"Of course." I assured him.

"Just not angel food cake." Luca teased.

"Not angel food cake." I pretended to chide Hector.

"Are you ready to eat something and start packing?" Hector asked once the laughter had died down.

"Yeah. I am hungry." I nodded.

"Packing?" Luca asked.

"Yeah, we're headed back to Trenton tonight." I told him.

"Back to your fiancée?" He teased.

I shot him a glare and he raised his hands in submission again.

"Okay. Okay. I was just kidding." He smirked. "I never met a married woman with a fiancée."

"It's more complicated than you can imagine. At this point I'm not sure I want all of my memories back. Maybe starting over would be less emotional. And less dangerous." I babbled.

"Maybe when you get home things will get better. Once you deal with that dessert loving fiancée." Luca teased.

"No doubt I'll have to deal with him. Just pray that I don't suddenly remember that I love his little nickname." I suggested.

"Wouldn't dream of it. Don't forget you have my card. Maybe we can do lunch in the city sometime." He shrugged. "Hector too."

"That sounds like fun." I nodded.

"Si." Hector nodded.

Hector held out his hand to me and I took it. He pulled me into a hug and then patted my back. I turned back to wave goodbye to Luca, but instead released Hector's hand and made my way back to the green-eyed brunette.

"Would you put in a good word for me if I have to murder people once I get back to Trenton?" I asked.

"Of course, but I think you will probably control yourself. Don't you have any local cop friends?" he asked.

"The asshole Cupcake man is a cop." I laughed.

"Oh damn! No wonder why you don't want to be friends with me." He let his head fall back.

"I never said that. I came out here to think." I explained.

"And scream." He added.

I blushed. "That too. I am sure we would be great friends I just have so much going on right now."

"Hey, it's not a problem. I understand completely." He assured me.

"I gotta go." I told him.

"I understand." He forced a smile.

"Have fun on vacation." I told him.

He acknowledged my words with a nod but he didn't smile. He gave me a slight wave.

"Have a safe flight home." He called out before turning back towards his own property.

"Thanks." I told him as I made my way back to a waiting Hector.

I followed him into the house and he closed the door behind us. I didn't hear any other sounds so I assumed the other guys were busy or out. He pushed me towards the bathroom and advised me to tame my hair while he made breakfast. I guessed I must be a pretty bad cook. None of them ever even asked me to step foot in the kitchen. I showered and dressed in a pair of jeans and a purple t-shirt before I reemerged from the bedroom. I smiled at Tank before I sat down next to him at the table. Lester was standing in the kitchen getting himself a cup of coffee and Ranger was on his phone. Hector slid a plate in front of me and I licked my lips when I saw the French toast dripping with syrup piled high in front of me.

"I love you." I purred as my lips closed around the fork.

"Who's she talking to?" Tank asked.

"Me." Lester smirked.

"She's talking to her breakfast." Hector chuckled.

I looked up to survey the room and smiled the best I could with a full mouth. I was definitely talking about the breakfast. It was delicious and I hadn't even realized how hungry I was until I put the first bite into my mouth. I kept eating as the men moved about. Hector had cleaned up the kitchen and nodded to Ranger as he moved passed him to head into the living room.

"We're going to pack up the motel room." Tank told Ranger who nodded.

"Meet at the airport?" Lester asked as Ranger nodded again.

"See you soon." Hector kissed me on the top of my head.

My mouth was too full to respond and once I had finished chewing and swallowed he was gone. When I finished eating, I took my plate to the kitchen and cleaned it off. I felt Ranger watching me but he hadn't said anything. He was in the open living room on the phone speaking in hushed tones. I thought about going back to the bedroom and lying on the bed. Maybe I should take a walk? Finally, I just went into the living room and leaned against the wall across from Ranger. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited.

When our eyes met he smirked and disconnected his call. He tucked his phone into his belt and moved towards me. He stopped directly in front of me and pressed his right hand to the wall beside my head. His other hand played with a strand of my hair before tucking it behind my ear. I had so many questions to ask him, but I wasn't sure where to start.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Where were you when I woke up?" I blurted at the same time.

"Were you looking for me?" He asked.

I wasn't sure how to answer this. I hadn't exactly been looking for him but I needed him. When I was upset I looked for him. When I needed someone, I looked for him. That scared me because I felt dependent and I didn't want to be dependent on anyone.

"I don't know." I shrugged.

He didn't speak. He just stood there and watched me. He was waiting for me to say more.

"I guess I was curious where you were." I admitted.

"Why?" He asked.

I shrugged.

"What happened?" He asked.

I shrugged again. I suddenly had a lump in my throat and couldn't talk. I was embarrassed to admit that I needed him, it was hard enough admitting it to myself. I wanted to ask him questions about what Morelli said. I wanted to ask him questions about what I saw. I wanted to ask him what no price meant.

"Morelli called." I finally managed.

"And?" He asked in a clipped tone.

"He was at my parent's house. It's not going to be so easy back in Trenton. My mother was already yelling at me." I looked down.

He leaned in and pressed his forehead to mine and took a deep breath. When his lips gently brushed over mine I felt a tingle move through my body. I wanted to grab the back of his head and pull him into me. I was also tempted to put both hands on his chest and shove him away, so that's what I did.

"Babe?" He took a step back.

"An opportunist?" I asked.

"What?" He was confused.

"Morelli. He told me you were an opportunist and then I remembered you saying it to me. You told me to work things out with him. You told me it suited your purpose to let me go." I glared at him.

"Steph, there's going to be a lot of things that you remember that aren't good. A lot of things I have said to you…" He trailed off.

"No price?" I choked out.

I reached for the rings on my finger and started to tug at them. His hand shot out and he grabbed my arm to stop me.

"Don't. It's all I have." He told me.

"All you have?" I didn't understand.

"You have so many good memories with Morelli. You've known him your whole life. We haven't had enough time. It took us so long to get here. Those rings are all I have to remind you of what we mean to each other. To remind you of what we shared here and how everything changed." He explained.

"We have no good memories outside of Hawaii?" I asked him.

"We do. We have lots of great memories, but some of the things I have said to you…" He sighed.

He let go of my arm and I stood silently as I tried to take in what he had just said. I didn't want to rush to any major decisions so I secured the rings back onto my finger. There was a worried look on his face. He stepped away from me and took a deep breath before he spoke.

"I have always been attracted to you, drawn to you. I have never lied to you about my feelings. I have told you so many times that I love you, but the life I choose to lead is not conducive to relationships. I thought you would be better off with the guy from the Burg and the fairy tale marriage and 2.5 kids." He shrugged.

"What changed?" I asked.

"Everything." He responded.

I didn't say anything. I was so frustrated and confused. This man before me seemed like he genuinely cared about me and I know I feel love for him. But what Morelli said and the things I remember? Maybe I was blind and saw what I wanted to see. Perhaps I was a puppy dog that just followed him around begging for his affection.

"Let's get moving Babe. I know there are people you will be excited to see when we get back and I have a few things I need to deal with at Rangeman." He told me.

"Then why did you stay here? Why didn't you just have Hector stay here with me?" I glared.

"You are my responsibility." He explained.

"I refuse to be a burden to anyone. When we get back to Trenton I will take care of myself." I paused, "I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I don't need you to take care of me."

"Steph, Babe..." His shoulders slumped.

 _I closed my eyes when I saw a flash of a black woman. She wore leopard skin painted on leggings with a zebra striped tank top that barely held in her breasts. Her hair was bright red. She was sitting on a couch describing Ranger and how hot he was. She started referring to him as Batman and calling him mysterious. It was a bonds office, I remembered now. She was my partner, my friend. An ex-ho turned file clerk, turned partner. This had to be Lula and she thought Ranger was my own personal Batman._

 _Then I saw Ranger, he was sitting on my bed with the same defeated look on his face._

 _"Being your hero is a full-time job, I worry that someday I'm not going to get to you in time." He told me._

 _"I didn't know you worried about anything." I stated._

 _"I worry about everything." He confessed_

My eyes flashed open. I was angry. I glared at him as the confusion spread across his face.

"So I called you Batman? Well, I don't need a superhero to save me anymore so you don't have to worry about me. I don't want to drag you down or make you worry. You have already wasted too much time and money on me." I spat.

"Don't. Don't do this." He pleaded.

"Do what? You said we meant it when we got married but you haven't elaborated. Is it a fake marriage or a real one? You're attracted to me, great, I get it. Everyone's attracted to you, you're a hot guy. Lust isn't everything you know. You don't get married because you want to jump into bed with somebody." I threw my hands up in the air.

"You don't get it Babe." He shook his head.

I closed my eyes tightly when I saw his face in his apartment. I assumed it was his place because it wasn't mine. I was barefoot and he was getting ready to leave.

" _I bleed money every time you need protection." He told me._

" _Jeez, I'm sorry" I was upset._

" _I told you there was no monetary way to justify your security. The truth is, you're a line item in my budget. I have you listed under entertainment. This is a high-stress business and you're comedy relief for my entire team." He smirked_

" _Comedy relief?" I was incredulous._

 _"I like you. We all like you. The truth is I love you…in my own way." He finished._

 _"In your own way?" I shook my head._

I moved towards the closet and began gathering clothes. I carried them over and dumped them on the bed next to the suitcase. I had tears welling behind my eyes, but I refused to let him see me cry. I couldn't really reconcile the man in my memories with the one I had known since I woke up in the hospital. Ranger moved in front of me and I nearly crashed into him. I stared down at the carpet. I studied the beige color and inspected my bare feet before I felt his fingers under my chin lifting my head up. He bent to look directly into my eyes, his face close.

"Coming here, getting away from everyone in Trenton and the Burg…I felt like it was just us. I never had you all to myself before. You always feel guilty about Morelli or you are in danger, but not here. When I got here we looked for one day and then that night we made love. After that it was only you and I. It was much more than lust Stephanie." He stepped away.

I watched him as he crossed the room and stood in front of the sliding glass doors. I moved to the bed and sat down. I began folding my clothes while I waited for him to say something more. My life was spinning out of control. I wish I could rewind and forget this whole conversation. I should have stayed quiet and gave myself time to think about what I had found out.

"Stephanie, since the day we met in that little sandwich shop we have been connected. Friendship, mentorship, partnership, lovers we've had it all. I tried to fight my feelings for you. I don't do relationships and I never lied about that. My life is too dangerous, my enemies would go after anyone I cared about just to get at me. Then I kissed you in your parking lot." He stopped again.

"What do you expect to happen when we get home? What do you want from me?" I asked him.

"You are my wife." He remarked.

"Am I? Oh yeah, it's your duty to take care of me." I rolled my eyes.

"Don't brush it off like that Steph. I've always felt a responsibility to you." He shook his head.

"And you worry you won't save me one day. You're worried you can't keep an emotional distance from me." I offered.

"Why are you so angry?" He asked.

"Almost every memory that I have had of you is regret and qualifications for feelings," I told him.

"What things do you regret?" He asked.

"Not me. Well at least I don't think so. It's you. In my memories your face seems full of regret." I informed him.

"How do you know the regret has anything to do with being with you?" He asked.

"I don't. I just don't know. I just see you are pushing me away." I slumped.

"That was a different time." He tried to explain.

"Because everything just suddenly changed here? What the heck happened during our week of hanging out that could have changed everything we had for almost two years?" I folded a shirt.

"We just finally let each other in." He tried to explain. "Finally stopped pushing each other away."

"Then you just suddenly decided it was okay for us to get married? I suddenly wanted to marry you?" I asked.

I had a flash of his face in my mind.

 _He was smiling. "There are times when I seriously consider marrying you, but then I get yet another black mark on my path to enlightenment and forgiveness and I scratch marriage off my bucket list."_

" _Really? You think about marrying me?" I asked him._

" _Marrying you might be extreme, but once in a while I think about sharing my closet." He admitted._

 _"You have a really great closet." I beamed._

My mind flashed and I saw him again. This time we were in his apartment.

 _"This is why I'm not married," Ranger said. "Women ask questions."_

" _Unh!" I said, smacking my forehead with the heel of my hand. "That's not why you're not married. You're not married because you're … impossible."_

 _He dragged me to him and kissed me, and I felt the kiss travel like lava to my center._

" _I have some issues to resolve," he said. No kidding. He gave my ponytail a playful tug and left._

My mind flashed and I saw him again. We were standing together in a ballroom.

 _The ballroom was empty of people but filled with round tables and chairs. It was set for a wedding party. White tablecloths with huge pink bows and pink and white artificial flower centerpieces, a two-foot riser with a long-decorated table for the bridal party, a smaller round table next to the riser. The smaller table supported a massive wedding cake that was being cooled by a standing fan._

" _This is so romantic," I said to Ranger._

" _Does it give you ideas?" He wrapped an arm around me, dragged me close against him, and kissed me on the forehead._

" _Yes, it gives me ideas, but not about marriage. Mostly about setting fire to this atrocity." I told him._

"Wait just a second. Getting married wasn't something I wanted and you said you had issues to resolve. You said you were on a path to enlightenment and forgiveness." I challenged him.

"I know that's what we told ourselves. I know that's how we felt before, but something changed. I unintentionally made my life more relationship friendly. I guess I finally saw we had a relationship already." He shrugged.

"I don't understand." I stopped folding my clothes.

"I always told myself it wouldn't work, that I would just put you in danger by keeping you around, But the enemies who have surfaced to act against me went after you anyway. They saw what I couldn't." He explained.

"And what was that?" I asked.

"We were already involved. You were already the most important person in my life." He sighed. "There are memories about us you haven't had yet. Like how you are the only woman that's ever been in my apartment. How you have a key fob with access to every part of my building. How you have my complete trust and believe me Babe that's not easily earned."

"All I have seen are the things you have said to push me away. You told me you never lie to me so..." I trailed off

"I don't and I haven't. Just because I felt that way at one time doesn't mean I can't change my mind. It doesn't mean I can't change my life." He shook his head.

"This is a lot of talk about feelings. I didn't think I was capable." I released my own sigh.

"That makes two of us." he agreed.

He reached out and grabbed my shoulder to pull me in for a hug. He kissed the top of my head and I wrapped my arms around his waist. I let myself lean into him as the tension slowly left my body.

"I'm so confused." I spoke against his chest.

"Just don't throw us away so easily. Don't give up on me yet. Give yourself a chance to remember more." He pleaded.

"Okay." I responded quickly.

He pulled back and held onto my shoulders. "Okay?" he asked.

I nodded.

"You'll keep the rings on?" he asked.

"You know Morelli is going to demand I take them off as soon as I get back to Trenton." I rolled my eyes.

"Will you?" he asked.

"We're still married with or without the rings, at least for now." I explained.

"That's not an answer." He tilted his head.

"I'm not sure." I answered honestly.

"Will you come home with me?" he asked.

"No." I told him.

"You're going to Morelli's house?" He asked.

"No." I stated.

"Please don't go to your apartment alone." he begged.

The please that came from his lips did something to me and I felt compelled to go along with his request. If I hadn't already made plans to stay at Hector's place I would be very tempted to go home with Ranger.

"I am going to stay with Hector." I explained.

"Oh." A blank look appeared on his face.

"You're disappointed in me?" I asked.

His hand came up to cup my cheek and he gave his head a slight shake.

"You never disappoint." His voice was soft.

His face was so close to mine. He stared into my eyes as his thumb stroked my cheek. His head tilted and he leaned into me. His lips brushed mine before he pulled back to look at me. He studied my expression and then leaned in again. His mouth covered mine as his other hand slid around my waist. He pulled me hard against him as my lips parted. When his tongue pushed into my mouth a heat quickly spread throughout my body. I wrapped both of my hands around his neck and threw myself into the kiss. His hand moved up and down my spine causing me to arch into him. I moaned into his mouth as my body tingled. After what seemed like forever but not nearly long enough he pulled away. Both of us were panting. I let my forehead fall forward and rest on his chest as his hand stroked through my hair.

"I don't want you to forget me." His breath coasted across the top of my hair.

I chuckled. "How can I forget when I don't even fully remember?"

"Babe." He pulled me away quickly.

He looked at my smiling face before his lips slowly pulled into his own beaming smile. He gave out a breathy laugh before he leaned in and kissed the tip of my nose. He pulled me back in for a quick hug before releasing me. He moved towards the bed and began picking up a shirt of mine before he started to fold it.

"Thank you." I joined him.

"When we get back, if you don't remember anything…" He trailed off.

"What?" I asked.

"Let me take you on a date." He stopped folding.

"A date?" I could feel my forehead wrinkle.

"Yes a date. Let me try to show you what we have now." He insisted.

"Okay." I agreed. "A date."

*******************THANK YOU***********************

Can't even begin to tell you how I light up when I see the e-mails telling me I have reviews. I appreciate each and every one of them.

Thanks to Jenn for all that you do!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Son of a Bitch." Lester announced.

I looked up to see Morelli holding a bouquet of roses waving his hands at me. We had been making our way to baggage claim and he was on the other side of the glass standing next to the baggage carousel. Right now I would have given anything to make the walk longer to avoid dealing with this for just a couple of more minutes.

"Never bothered to get her flowers before." Hector grumbled.

The flight had been uneventful. I slept for most of the flight after Ranger had given me two pills right before we boarded. Apparently, I wasn't a great passenger when I let my nerves get the better of me. I woke up during the last hour of the flight apologizing profusely to Ranger for missing out on the chance to properly appreciate my first-class comfy seat by sleeping on his shoulder and chest and lap. Lester had enjoyed showing me pictures of my various sleeping positions the second I woke up.

I felt my head drop when I saw a woman I recognized as my mother standing beside Morelli. She looked disappointed and I didn't understand why. There was an older woman I remembered from my 'eye of the cobra' memory as my grandmother. The man with them had to be my father, the one who mumbles at the dinner table. I stopped dead in my tracks and Lester crashed into me. Before I could fall forward on my face Ranger caught me and spun me to face him.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He looked concerned.

"I can't deal with this. They're all going to want me to go home with them. She's going to yell at me and he's going to make demands." I was panicked.

He pulled us forward until we were behind a wall so we couldn't be seen by anyone behind the glass on the other side of the security checkpoint. He pulled me into a hug and rocked us slightly. My breathing was quick and I kept repeating myself.

"I can't do this. I just can't. She fucking hates me anyway. Why is she here when she hates me? She's just a bitch to me. She treats me like shit." I smashed my head into Ranger's chest. "He's going to fucking call me cupcake, I just know it. He is going to fuck up my whole life. I can't do this."

Ranger chuckled and pulled me back with a raised eyebrow. A big smile crept across his face and then I watched as he bit back a laugh.

"What about this can you possibly find funny?" I asked.

"You don't usually swear so much." He explained.

I shrugged. "Sometimes those words are needed to properly describe the severity of the situation."

"Listen Babe, you got this. You go over and give everyone hugs and thank them for their concern. When they start asking you or telling you where you are going to stay, go all pouty face. Tell them how you still don't remember and you would feel safe staying with Hector who you remember being like a brother to you. You feel safe in a secure building because there still may be people after you." He helped.

"A secure building?" I asked.

"Yes Steph, Hector lives at Rangeman." He stated.

"Rangeman? Where your apartment is? So, I am essentially going to live with you?" He nodded and I practically shrieked. "Fuck my life."

"What?" He was confused.

"What? What you ask? They are going to assume I am going with you. Morelli will start a fight with you because he will think you brain washed me. Maybe I should just go to a hotel. Wait. Do I have money? You never answered my question about my bank. I don't know what bills I have. I don't know when my bills are due. I didn't even call to check credit card balances. I have my purse at least. I have all my cards in there." I babbled.

"Calm down." He rubbed my shoulders.

"But…I…" My breathing was becoming erratic.

"What's wrong?" Hector approached.

"I'm fine. I just need to know how much money I have in my account and I don't remember my pin." I told him.

"No problem. I can help you check all of your financial stuff out when we get to my place." He assured me.

"See? Another reason why you need to go with Hector." Ranger suggested.

"Okay, but…and…uhm…" I bit down into my lower lip.

"What is it Babe?" He asked me.

"I need someone to…well no I don't need anyone. I would like someone to…well I would appreciate it if someone could…" I bit down again.

"What is it chica?" Hector asked.

"Just don't all run out right away okay? Tell Lester and Tank too please. I mean ask them. I don't want to ask for more after you have all done so much for me, but I feel safe around you guys and I just don't want you to rush out the door right away and leave me alone with them." I nodded towards the luggage area.

"We are all taking one vehicle. We won't leave you alone with them." Ranger assured me.

"You know Morelli will want to talk to you alone." Hector told us.

"That's fine but in plain sight. I'll just step away from everyone." I nodded quickly.

"Is there something you aren't telling us?" Ranger asked.

"Just a weird feeling." I shook it off.

"Trust yourself Angelito. Your Spidey-sense helped us many times. Trust it. What does it make you feel?" Hector asked.

I closed my eyes and thought about what was bothering me. Morelli's face flashed before me. We were on the couch and there was a dog nearby. His house. He jumped to his feet and started waving his arms around.

" _You're going to Hawaii without me? Really? You're just going to hop on the plane all by yourself and go?" He yelled._

" _Yeah, why not? I deserve a vacation and it's not costing me anything." I shrugged._

" _It just may cost you me, cost you us. Is it worth it? Is that a price you're willing to pay?" He asked._

" _I asked you to go and you declined saying you can't get the time off work. Why would it cost me us? That makes no sense." My brows furrowed._

" _Because I can't trust you." He ran a hand through his hair._

" _What? What are you talking about?" I jumped to my feet._

" _Don't play coy with me. I have heard the rumors, even seen it once with my own eyes." He glared._

" _What rumors? Seen what?" I questioned._

" _You and Manoso in the alley. You were all over him like a bitch in heat. What's it like being a cheater? What's it like knowing the whole town knows you are a slut?" He sneered._

" _Excuse me? When have you ever said that we were exclusive? When have we ever even labeled what we have. We sometimes hang out, eat pizza and watch a game. We sometimes are boyfriend and girlfriend. We sometimes act like we're going to get married but you have never bought me a ring. Engaged to be engaged. What does that even mean?" I asked him._

" _Don't put this back on me. I at least thought you wouldn't screw someone else while we were together." His hands moved to his hips._

" _I have never screwed anyone when we were together. I never had sex with anyone when our relationship was on." I worded my answer carefully so I wasn't lying._

" _You are a lying, cheating slut." He declared._

" _We are through. We are done. I refuse to let you disrespect me like this." I glared at him as I got off the couch preparing to leave._

" _Run to your thug like the whore that you are." He spat at me._

" _Are you kidding me? Are you freaking kidding me?" I shrieked. "If I'm such a slut and whore why do you want to be with me anyway?"_

 _I moved around the couch and went to the dining room to get my purse. I took a deep breath and when I spun around to leave I nearly crashed into him. I stepped to the side and he mirrored me. I moved to the other side and again he blocked my path. I glared up at him. He was fuming and had a look of disgust on his face as he sneered at me. I tried to out wait him but he didn't move an inch._

" _Get out of my way." I demanded._

" _Why? So you can call Manoso? Try to get him to go to Hawaii? He won't go with you. He won't drop everything just to fly to Hawaii for a little snatch when he can get it here anytime he wants." He kept the sneer on his lips._

" _I am going alone. Not that it's any of your business anymore. I'm not your business anymore. We are through. Get the hell out of my way and let me leave." I demanded._

" _No." He refused._

" _No?" I was shocked._

" _No." He stated._

" _Joe get the hell out of my way. I am leaving and I never want to see you again. Just stay away from me for the next two days and then I will be gone. You can do whatever you want and you won't have to worry about what I do. I won't cause you to have ulcers and indigestion anymore." I assured him._

" _I want you in my bed one last time." He ordered._

" _What? No." I scoffed._

" _Yes." He stated._

" _Get out of my way." I demanded._

 _I moved and he followed again. Finally, I just shoved him and moved around him. He grabbed my arm and twisted me around. I hissed at the pain._

" _What? You're too good for me now Cupcake? Do I need to pay you for it?" He laughed._

" _Let go." I ripped my arm away from him._

" _Do I need to give you a car to destroy?" He hooted._

" _Stop" I warned._

" _Get upstairs and show me what a good little slut you are." He jerked his head towards the stairs._

" _You're scum Morelli and you will never have me in your bed or in your house ever again." I declared._

" _Last chance." He raised his eyebrows._

" _Screw you." I shot him the middle finger._

 _He grabbed my shoulders and crushed my body into his. He smashed his lips down onto mine and pushed hard. I tried to shove him away but he only gripped me tighter. I opened my mouth to complain and he pushed his tongue in. I wiggled and pulled and tried to get away. Finally, I just bit down on his tongue. He pulled his head back with a yell and released my shoulders._

" _You bitch." He yelled. He stuck his finger into his mouth and came out with blood on it. "I'm bleeding."_

" _You deserved it." I told him._

 _I watched in shock as everything moved in slow motion. I saw the hatred in his eyes and out of the corner of my eye I saw his arm raise. I caught his right hand in my peripheral vision before it shot forward. I felt the sting as the back of his hand came across my cheek. I fell down to my knees and clutched the side of my face as my mouth fell open in surprise. I heard him gasp as he fell down to his knees in front of me. He reached out for me but I jumped away from him. When he saw the fear in my eyes he pulled back._

" _I am so sorry Steph. I didn't mean for that to happen. I never wanted to hurt you Cupcake. It just got away from me. Things just got away from me. You have to forgive me. I love you. It doesn't matter what you've done. I love you." He sighed._

 _I got to my feet still clutching my now throbbing cheek in my hand. I looked at him in disbelief. He hit me. Joseph Morelli who I had known my whole life just hit me. I thought he was breaking the Morelli mold. I thought he had grown up and had outgrown the boy he was, at the same time escaping the Morelli curse._

" _I love you Cupcake. I'm sorry. You pushed me. Damn it. You're screwing Manoso and God knows who else behind my back. How am I supposed to react when I find out my girlfriend is a slut and then instead of apologizing she wants to leave me? If you tell anyone they will never believe that I hit you, they will all know the whore that you are and believe that you are just making it up as a reason to leave me.." He insisted._

" _Don't you even…" I seethed._

" _What? Tell you the truth? You are chasing after a man who doesn't want you for anything more than a fuck buddy." He smirked._

" _Just stay the hell away from me." I shook my head._

" _You'll be back. You always come back." He laughed._

" _Not this time." I promised._

 _I ran to the door, ripped it open and took off for my car. I got in and heard the familiar ru ru ru as it refused to start. I got out and took off. Yes, I ran. I ran fast and hard. I didn't care about the pain in my shins that started after only a block. I didn't care about my rapid breathing which had started after two blocks or the pain in my side. Joe Morelli hit me. Joe Morelli really hit me. I was shocked. I was stunned. I was overwhelmed. I couldn't believe it. All the times we had faught it was always only verbal, never physical. Well the waving of his arms was physical but he never got physical with me. Now they say that if he did it once he would do it again. They say that domestic abuse only escalates. I trusted him, I have always trusted him but he broke that trust. I can never trust him again._

 _Who do I tell? Who CAN I tell? Who is going to believe me? Little ol bounty-hunter, scourge of the Burg that doesn't do what her mother wants. Doesn't get married and keep a proper home while taking care of her man and popping out babies. Compared to Mr. Perfect Detective Morelli who threw off the family curse of being a drunk and wife-beater to become a respectable home owner. Joe outstanding Morelli who overcame his past of being a drunken bar brawler and sleeping with every woman in the tri-state area to become a respectable model citizen. Finally, I was bent over, my lungs desperate for air, heaving as I tried to catch my breath. I forced myself to stand and keep walking. I needed to get away. I needed distance between that house, what happened and me._

 _I felt my face burn. I raised my hand and could feel the heat coming off the skin. I wondered if I looked in the mirror if I would have a raised red hand print glowing on my cheek like a neon sign, because that's what it felt like. Wow. How was I going to cover this up? I was so embarrassed. Of course, there was going to be a bruise. I only hoped it wouldn't be bad enough that it would last too long. I was set to leave for Hawaii in a couple of days._

"He ugh…he .." I stuttered as soon as I opened my eyes.

"He what?" Hector asked.

"I can't. Just listen to me and please don't let me out of your sight with him." I begged.

"Okay Babe. No problem. I promise." Ranger looked worried.

"Damn it all to hell. There I go again. Forget it. You don't have to protect me. I don't want you to feel obligated. Just give me a gun. Let me borrow one until I check my finances." I pleaded with Ranger.

"We don't have any guns. We flew commercial. Listen, I know you have these worries but just stop. You are my wife. You are legally my wife. You are my friend too. I am going to protect you and help you the same way I would any of my guys. Besides you are helping me." He smiled.

"How the hell am I helping you?" I was confused.

"From the look on your face you remembered something very bad with Morelli. And I don't like to see the fear in your eyes. If I were alone with Morelli I would most likely kick his ass. So, you are helping me because with you around I won't kick his ass." He gently squeezed my shoulders.

"Okay, fine let's go. I need to think of an excuse as to why it took us so long to walk a few feet and get through the door to baggage claims." I scrubbed my hand across my face.

Hector and Ranger moved away from the wall and I reluctantly followed them. Tank and Lester were at the rear of our little group. I took a deep breath before moving through the revolving door that led to the baggage area. Morelli immediately jumped in front of me and pulled me into his arms. I felt my feet leave the ground as he swung me around.

"Oh Cupcake, you are a sight for sore eyes. I've missed you so much!" He exclaimed.

"Put me down please." I begged.

"You traveled home in jeans? People don't dress nicely to fly anymore?" My mother shook her head.

"I see you brought a parade of hotties home with you." My grandmother waggled her eyebrows.

My father simply nodded as Morelli took my hand in his. He pulled me over to the already turning carousel so I could point out my luggage. I saw my suitcase but before I could tell Morelli which one it was Ranger pulled it from the carousel and placed it on the floor beside my feet. I looked up at him and found him smiling ever so slightly. Morelli squeezed my hand and I looked up at him. He smiled and winked at me giving me a sick feeling in my stomach.

"What took you so long after I saw you through the glass?" He suddenly asked.

"Hector had to go to the bathroom." I spoke quickly.

"Oh." He seemed to believe my excuse.

"Now you're back and everything can go back to how it was." My mother smiled.

"I can't wait to get you home where you belong." He waggled his eyebrows. "The boys have missed you."

"Uhm" I hesitated. "I'm not going to your place Joe."

"I guess I understand if you want to stay at your parent's house for a couple of nights." He shrugged.

"No, I'm not going there either." I shook my head.

"You can't go back to that crappy apartment of yours. You shouldn't be alone right now Cupcake." He told me as he squeezed my hand tight enough that I winced before wrenching it out of his grip.

I took a step away from him and felt Ranger close behind me. I now knew a whole different side of this man. I knew right then no matter what other memories I had, I could never be with him. We were done. I refuse to go back to a man who hit me. Now I needed to get some distance. I knew eventually I would have to confront him and tell Hector and the guys, but I wasn't ready for that yet.

"No Joe, I'm not going back to my apartment." I shook my head.

"What? Where the hell do you think you're going? You're not going with Manoso." He interrupted my thoughts.

"No, I'm not. I am going to stay with Hector." I declared.

"Stephanie Plum what do you think you are doing? You are not going to stay with some stranger while Joseph sits home alone waiting for you. How will it look to his neighbors when his own fiancée doesn't come home with him?" My mother moved closer.

"Hector is not a stranger." I argued.

"You are coming with me." Morelli grabbed my elbow.

"No Joe." I stood my ground yanking my elbow out of his grasp.

"At least step over here and talk to me in private." He pouted. "I don't think I am asking too much."

I looked into his brown eyes full of sadness and pleading. I took a deep breath. I knew I would have to tell him I wasn't going with him and I would have to resist any argument he made. I would not change my mind. But some part of me still couldn't resist the need for his approval and I found myself looking over to Ranger for support. He gave me a slight nod that only I noticed and I turned to follow Joe. He led me over by the exit door and heaved out a big sigh before he scrubbed his face with both of his hands. I stood there silently waiting as he gripped the bridge of his nose and then finally shook his head.

"Why are you doing this to me?" He asked.

"I'm not doing anything to you Joe. I am trying to get my life back." I tried to explain.

"Your life is with me." He pointed to his chest.

"I need space to figure things out. I need time to myself so I can remember my life. Remember myself. Remember all the people and how they fit into my life." I confided.

"And what about me? You don't know how hard this is on me. Look at your family and the hell you're putting them through. You need to surround yourself with people who love you. You need to be around people that really know who you are. You can't surround yourself with people who barely know you. They don't know anything about you; they don't know who you really are." His hands slid to his hips.

"I don't know who I really am. I don't even know about my bills or bank accounts. Hector can help with that. There are basic things I need to know about myself, about my life without other people interfering." I argued.

"Even more reason to come home with me. I can help you with all of that. I'm a cop, I can do anything." His hands moved to my shoulders. "Please."

I glanced over to Ranger and he gave me his slight smile. Tank and Lester watched us with concern. Hector winked at me. My eyes then move to view my family. My mother seemed to be complaining to my father. She was shaking her head and gesturing towards me. My grandmother was just staring at Ranger and his men. I turned back to Joe and took a deep breath.

"No." I told him.

"No?" He asked

"No." I told him as the memory of his house flashed before me again.

"Cupcake, please don't make me beg. I will. I will drop down onto my knees right now and beg you. I'll ask you to marry me right here in front of everyone." He told me.

"Do you have a ring?" I smirked already knowing the answer.

"Maybe I would get one if your finger wasn't already so crowded." He looked at my hand in disgust.

"I'll call you." I turned away and he grabbed my arm.

"Not good enough." He told me.

"Let go." I glared at him.

"All ready to go?" Hector asked as he came to my side.

I gave out a sigh of relief and was able to pull my arm away from Morelli. My mother was unfortunately right behind Hector. She came up short in front of me and placed a hand on her hip. I closed my eyes for a second to try to steady myself from what I knew was coming.

"I think you should go to Joseph's house rather than home with us." She stated.

"I'm going with my friend Hector." I informed her as I waved my hand towards him.

"Oh really?" she laughed. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Thank you for coming to greet me. I'm sorry that I don't really remember you yet but the doctor said hopefully my memory will come back in time. I am going to stay at my friend Hector's home until I feel more comfortable in public." I went on.

"Over my dead body." She glared. "You think Gina McCue's daughter goes off with strange men? You think Liz Marie's daughter shacks up with crooks and thieves?" She asked.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, but there is nothing you can do to change my mind. You are wrong about my brother." I forced a smile.

She reached for my arm and wrapped her bony fingers around my wrist. I glared down at her hand before I looked up at her face.

"Your brother? He's the wrong color. I would kill myself if I gave birth to him." She gestured towards Hector.

"Get your hand off me you bitch." I gritted.

Her hand released me and flew to her mouth in shocked horror. My father looked up and my grandmother smirked.

"Stephanie, don't talk to your mother like that. She loves you and she just wants the best for you." Morelli chided.

"That's right. I know what's best for you." She nodded.

"I'm an adult. I know what's best for me." I corrected her.

"How can you know what's best for you when you can't remember where you belong?" She rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to stay with my friend and that's final." I declared.

"Like hell you are." Morelli grabbed my arm and pulled me into his chest.

"That's enough." Ranger stepped forward.

"Mind your own business Manoso." Morelli threatened.

"I've let you all talk and I've let you manhandle Stephanie for far too long this evening. She wants to go with Hector, she is going with Hector." Ranger pressed on a spot of Morelli's hand and he released me.

"Assaulting a police officer?" Morelli asked him.

"I was reaching for my friend Stephanie's hand." Ranger held his hands up. "I didn't mean to accidentally touch you."

"Where does Hector live? Stark Street?" Morelli asked.

"He lives at Rangeman." Ranger answered.

Morelli slammed his palm against his forehead and took a step away from me. He turned his back and took some breaths.

"You've got to be kidding me." He spun around. "You're going to stay with Manoso."

"I'm not." I assured him.

"You're a liar." He stated.

"Enough." Hector raised a hand.

"Mind your own business." My mother glared at him.

"I'm leaving." I informed them.

"No, you're not. You're coming home with me or your mother. You're not going anywhere with these gang-bangin' thugs." Morelli moved closer reaching for my suitcase.

Tank stepped forward and stood between Morelli and I. Ranger moved with Hector to one side of Morelli and began arguing my plans with him. Lester grabbed my suitcase, came up behind me and took my elbow. He gently guided me around Tank who slowly moved along with us, serving as a wall. Morelli and my family were still engaged in the argument with Ranger. We got to the door and I paused before I determined I didn't owe these people even a goodbye wave. I kept walking and we made it to a black SUV that was sitting on the curb. Lester opened the door and I slid in to the middle of the backseat. Tank jogged around to the driver's seat. I heard him engage the locks as soon as he settled behind the wheel.

I looked out the window and watched Ranger and Hector emerge from the doorway. The doors were unlocked now. I heard Lester loading the luggage in the trunk. I watched Morelli and my family follow Ranger and Hector through the doors. Morelli had his hands up and was waving them around like crazy. I could hear his loud voice yelling but I couldn't make out what he was saying. His angry face flashed in my mind.

 _I was sitting on a curb. I looked up to see a car engulfed in red and orange flames . Fire trucks and police cars were pulling up. Morelli was above me, looking down at me with a disapproving look on his face, hands on his hips, like I was a child about to be punished._

" _When dispatch told me there was a car fire, I knew it was you. You just couldn't let a week go by without embarrassing me. You need to quit this joke that you call a job. You are a walking disaster and one day you're not going to be sitting on the curb when I show up. Then what? Then what happens to me?" He screamed._

" _Babe."_

 _I turned my head to find Ranger approaching. I got to my feet and moved towards him as he lifted his arms. I fell into him and he wrapped me up in his big strong arms. I felt warmth and safety. I felt as if he was sharing his strength with me._

" _Are you okay?" He whispered in my ear._

" _Yes." I nodded._

" _People are watching Stephanie." Morelli growled through gritted teeth._

" _I'm sorry." I stepped away from Ranger and watched his face drop._

 _I got this helpless feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was upsetting Joe, I was embarrassing my family and I was disappointing everyone. Well, everyone except for Ranger. He always said I never disappoint. I know I needed to go back over to Joe and help him save face in front of his friends and fellow officers. I wanted to stay with Ranger but I wasn't sure he wanted me to stay with him._

I heard the door slam as Ranger got in beside me. I heard the locks slide into place as Morelli slapped the window.

"This is bullshit Cupcake." He glared through the tinted window.

"Just for five minutes can we pretend?" I asked Ranger as I leaned into him.

He lifted his left arm and wrapped it around my shoulders. I moved closer as he pulled me into his chest and I turned my head into his neck. He turned and planted a kiss on my forehead. I felt his warm breath on me and closed my eyes.

"It's not pretend." He told me.

My eyes snapped open and I pulled away enough to look up into his eyes. I tilted my head, slightly confused.

"Did you just say that or was it a memory?" I asked him.

"It's not pretend Babe. Nothing between us is pretend." He assured me.

"But…" I held up my left hand.

He grabbed it and brought my hand to his lips where he pressed a kiss on my ring finger.

"Nothing is pretend." He repeated.

"Thank you all for getting me through that mob." I announced.

I turned towards Hector and then up front where Lester and Tank sat.

"My pleasure beautiful." Lester called out.

"We got your back." Tank assured me.

"Anytime." Hector winked.

"I'll try very hard not to put you in a situation like that again." I promised.

"You didn't do that Steph." Lester assured me. "That asshole thought he could come take you from the airport and hijack your life. But you stood up to them. You stood up for us. You stood up for yourself and your right to live your own life."

"Thanks" I was practically blushing. He made me sound heroic, but I felt like I was fighting for myself back there. I knew what I was doing was right but I'm still not sure I would have made it through without their support.

"Are you okay?" Tank asked.

"You really want to know?" I was surprised.

"Yeah Steph, I really want to know." He chuckled.

"Something's wrong with Morelli. I had a bad memory, a couple of them. I just don't know if they're true." I bit my lower lip.

"You don't trust your memories?" Lester asked.

"I don't know." I answered.

"Have they been wrong yet?" Tank asked.

"I don't think so, but I don't honestly know enough about my life and the people in it to know if any are false." I answered honestly.

"Do you want to tell us what it was?" Ranger asked.

"Not yet." I exhaled a deep breath.

"Not yet it's embarrassing or not yet because Tank might turn the car around?" Lester asked.

I thought about it for a minute. "Both."

"Oh Steph, you can tell us anything." Tank gently shook his head.

"We're never going to yell and scream at you." Lester told me.

"And we're never going to turn our backs on you." Hector leaned over to pat my hand.

"Later okay?" I asked.

"Sure." Lester responded.

"No problem." Tank smiled into the rearview mirror.

Hector nodded and I turned back to Ranger. He didn't speak, he just stared into my eyes. I cuddled into him and wrapped my arms around him. I closed my eyes, tired from the day's activities. I felt him slowly pull me onto his lap. After a few minutes, I relaxed completely and then fell asleep against him.

"Boss?" Lester whispered.

"Speak." Ranger spoke quietly.

"What are we going to do about Morelli?" He asked.

"Nothing to do." Ranger replied.

"He's not going to give up. He's going to keep pushing." Tank advised.

"We should tell her." Lester demanded.

"Don't you think I have considered that? Do you think she would really appreciate hearing and seeing negative things about that scumbag from us?" Ranger's voice stayed soft.

"She has a right to know." Lester argued.

"Give her some time to settle and then you can ask her if she wants to see." Ranger suggested.

"I know you don't want to hurt her but…" Hector began.

"I don't want to hurt her. She's been through too much. Right now, I am trying to prove to her that she belongs with us, with me." Ranger interrupted.

"Understood." Lester responded.

***********************Thank you***********************************

Thank you a million times over for the reviews. Don't worry the date is coming soon and you haven't seen the last of Luca.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12-

I woke up to the smell of coffee. When I sat up and got my eyes open I peered around me, taking in my surroundings. I was in a single bed in a small pale blue room. I looked to my right and saw the clock on the nightstand. It was just after nine o'clock. There was a note next to the clock. I snatched it from the nightstand and pulled it into the bed with me.

Angelito,

Your favorite cook Ella will bring your breakfast to the Seventh floor when you wake. Just press six on the phone. See you later.

Hector

I groaned as I sat up from the bed. I quickly ran through my morning routine. I felt my stomach rumble just as I finished blow drying my hair. I found the phone on the wall in the kitchen and lifted it to press six.

"Stephanie?" Came a pleasant female voice.

"Is this Ella?" I asked.

"Yes dear. It's so good to hear your voice. Are you ready for breakfast?" She asked.

"Yes please." I smiled.

"I'll have it for you in twenty minutes on seven." She told me.

"Thank you." I told her.

"Anytime. See you soon." She disconnected.

There were a set of keys hanging by a hook on the door. A little post it note hung above them with my name on it.

'Use the Key fob in the elevator' it read.

I took the keys and headed out into the hallway. The hall was empty and quiet as I made my way towards the silver doors of the elevator. I hit the up button and the doors opened immediately. I got in and pressed the number seven but nothing happened. I pressed the button to close the doors. I hit seven again when they were shut but still nothing. I looked down at the keys in my hand. There was a black key fob without a key, it only had buttons. I hit one button and nothing happened. I hit another and the light for the seventh floor lit up as the elevator began to move.

I waited patiently wondering what I would find on the seventh floor. It had to be something special to have been locked off to everyone who didn't have the key fob. I wondered why I had this key fob. I closed my eyes just for a second and saw Ranger's smiling face as he handed me the keys. That was a good feeling. I felt trusted and loved as he placed those keys in my hand. The elevator chimed and the doors opened.

I stepped into the hall and saw a door in front of me. I looked left and right as I inspected the small entryway. There was a table, a mirror and some live plants. I took a deep breath and stepped towards the door. I turned the silver handle on the dark wooden door but nothing happened. I stepped back and played with the buttons on the key fob. I heard a click and tried the handle again and it opened. I cautiously pushed the door open and moved inside. I knew right away I had been here before. I relaxed immediately as I felt the comfort and warmth of the apartment. If I didn't know better I would think it was my home.

The colors were warm. The walls were all painted beige while the furniture was dark wood and crème colors. I inspected the walls but found no pictures except for some paintings of landscapes. I studied one that showed the beach and the smooth water as the sun rose in the distance. I whipped around when I heard the door open.

A petite Latino looking woman entered, pushing a cart. She looked up at me and smiled. I felt the overwhelming urge to hug her. She watched me closely as she pushed in a cart full of food.

 _I closed my eyes and saw her bringing me food and another time bringing me clothes. I was following her around hoping to help her clean when we ended up in the bathroom. I leaned into the shower and picked up a green bottle full of shower gel and brought it to my nose. The smell was tantalizing and immediately had me thinking of naked things with Ranger._

" _I love this soap." I sniffed it again._

" _My sister works on the cosmetic floor of a department store, and she gave me a sample of the Bulgari. It's very expensive, but it suits Ranger. Not that Ranger would notice. All he thinks about is work. Such a nice handsome young man and no girlfriend. Until you." She hung fresh towels while she spoke._

" _I'm not exactly a girlfriend." I put the soap back._

 _Ella straightened up and did a sharp inhale. "He isn't paying you is he? Like the way Richard Gere was paying Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman."_

" _No. Ranger and I work together. I'm a bounty hunter." I smiled._

" _Maybe you'll become a girlfriend." She said hopefully._

" _Maybe." But I didn't think it would ever be possible with Ranger._

My eyes shot open to find that very woman standing beside me. I couldn't resist anymore and moved towards her as she opened her arms to welcome me into her hug. I rested my head against her shoulder. This felt like the greeting of a mom. This felt like the way I should have been greeted at the airport.

"How are you feeling, dear?" She asked me.

"Okay." I managed.

She held me back by my shoulders. "I was so worried when I heard about you. I know you aren't yourself and Ranger told me about your memories but I am just happy you are back safe."

"I think I want you to adopt me. You're Ella right?" I asked her.

"Yes dear. And I would adopt you in a second." She smiled.

"Thank you." I stepped out of her arms.

"Sit down. You need to eat. You've lost too much weight." She ordered.

I pulled out a chair and sat down at the table. I watched her place out bagels, lox, fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola. I was starting to get worried until I watched her set down a plate of pancakes and an omelet. I did a little wiggle in my chair as I surveyed the buffet of good stuff that was spread out before me in my own little mini buffet. She placed silverware and a napkin in front of me before setting another place. I was just going to ask her who would be joining me when I heard the door open. I looked towards the sound to see Ranger walk in. When he saw me sitting at the table he beamed. He stopped briefly to thank Ella before he pulled out the chair across from me and sat down.

"Enjoy." Ella told us before she left.

Once we were alone I dug into the pancakes and closed my eyes in pleasure with the first delicious bite.

"There are chocolate chips in here." I told Ranger.

"Ella knows what you like." He grabbed a bagel.

"Do I eat here a lot?" I asked him.

"You have. She loves to cook for you. She thinks I eat too bland." He shrugged.

"She thinks I should be your girlfriend." I told him.

"Oh really?" He chuckled.

"Well, I saw her telling me when I was here once before." I shrugged.

"That sounds right." He nodded.

"I will admit your place feels comfortable to me." I took another bite.

"Good to know." He gave a quick nod.

We ate the rest of our breakfast in a compatible silence. When I was finished I carried my plates to the kitchen and loaded them in the dishwasher. He followed and did the same. After we were done he took my hand and pulled me toward the open door of his bedroom. I paused and he turned back and gave me a smirk before I moved to follow him. He released my hand when we got inside the doorway. I walked slowly around the room looking at the walls and furniture. The bed caught my eye and I wanted to jump into it. I didn't want to give him the wrong idea. I looked back to where he was leaning in the doorway and he gave me a nod.

I went into the bathroom and stepped into the shower to grab the soap. It was the same green bottle I had seen earlier when I remembered the conversation with Ella. I popped the top and inhaled the scent. It was incredible.

"Mmm" I moaned out.

I heard a chuckle and found Ranger in the doorway.

"You've told me before you like how I smell, maybe it's more the soap than me." He joked.

"I love it." I admitted.

I put the soap back and turned to investigate the roomy bathroom. There was a double sink and next to one of them were obviously women's products. Purple toothbrush, make-up wipes, scented lotion. I glanced over at Ranger.

"Mine or…" I asked.

"Yours." He nodded.

"But I have my own apartment?" I asked.

"Yes." He nodded.

"I stay here sometimes?" I asked.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Well…uhm…" I wanted to ask another question.

"What is it?" He waited.

"Doesn't having my stuff here cramp your style?" I was confused.

"I've never had another woman inside of my apartment except for you. And Ella of course." He told me.

He moved away from the doorway and I followed him out. I was still avoiding the bed so I went to look in the closet. There was a sea of black. Everything in the closet looked black until I spied some colors in the back. I found a couple of silk shirts that were dark colors like red, grey and blue. On the other side I saw more colors and fingered through the different dresses I saw there. I also noticed women's black cargos and smaller Rangeman t-shirts. I opened a drawer on the same side of the closet and found black bras and black underwear all carrying the Rangeman logo in red.

I didn't have to ask this time, I was sure they were mine. No other women had been in his apartment and I had things here like I lived with him. This added more to my confusion. He wanted to be emotionally distanced from me but he welcomed me into his space? This didn't make sense at all. I left the closet and headed back into the open space of the large bedroom.

I bit down on my lower lip as I hesitantly moved closer to the top of the bed. I reached out and patted the pillow and rubbed my hand over the soft pillow case. I grabbed the comforter and glanced back at Ranger. He smiled a wolf's grin before nodding to me. I couldn't help myself. I dove under the sheets and moaned out in pleasure. I loved these sheets. I pulled them up tight around me and settled onto the pillow. I closed my eyes and let the feelings take over.

I _showered in Ranger's big roomy shower and felt a feeling of agony and ecstasy rush through me at the same time. The ecstasy was from smelling his shower gel and the feelings it made tingle throughout my body. The agony was caused by the same shower gel because he wasn't there. I dried off and slipped into panties and one of his shirts. I was being quiet and worried that Ranger would come home at any moment. I slid into his heavenly sheets and curled up and felt like I was floating on a cloud._

 _The scene changed and I was in his bed again. I heard a noise and rolled over onto my back before I looked to the side. Ranger was standing in the doorway leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. I had the feeling I was nervous, as if I wasn't supposed to be there._

" _I'm trying to decide if I should throw you out the window, or if I should get in next to you." He told me._

" _Are there any other options?" I asked him._

" _What are you doing here?" He asked._

" _I needed a safe place to stay." I explained._

 _He gave me the slight smile. "And you think this is safe?"_

" _It was until you came home." I said honestly._

" _What scares you more…getting thrown out the window or sleeping with me?" His eyes focused on me._

 _I sat up in the bed. "Don't flatter yourself, you're not that scary."_

" _I saw the gun and the flak vest when I came in." He changed the subject._

" _To make a long story short I was the eyewitness to a robbery. Seems this guy has committed many robberies and he's part of the Slayers gang. So they are after me and have brought in a big gun named 'Junkman' to take me out." I explained._

" _You should have asked Tank for help." He sighed._

" _I don't always feel comfortable with Tank." I admitted._

" _And you feel comfortable with me?" He raised an eyebrow._

 _I didn't answer, unsure what to say._

" _Babe, you're in my bed." He smirked._

" _Yeah, well I guess that would indicate a certain comfort level." I shrugged._

 _His attention dropped to my chest. "Are you wearing my shirt?"_

" _I have to do laundry." I felt embarrassed._

 _Ranger bent over and began unlacing his boots._

" _What are you doing?" I was nervous._

" _I'm going to bed. I've been up since four this morning, and I just drove nine hours to get home. Half of it in pouring rain. I'm beat. I'm going to take a shower and I'm going to bed." He informed me._

" _Um…" I hesitated._

 _He shook his head. "Don't look so panicked. You can sleep on the couch, or you can leave or you can stay in the bed. I'm not going to attack you in your sleep. At least that's not the plan right now. We can figure this out in the morning."_

 _He went into the bathroom and I stayed in the bed._

I opened my eyes and found Ranger staring down at me. I scooted away to make room and patted the mattress. He sat down and kicked off his shoes before leaning against the headboard. I moved closer and leaned into his side. He lifted his arm as I cuddled into his chest, and wrapped it around my shoulders.

"I loved your sheets. I wasn't supposed to be here but I came here for safety from the Slayers and you let me stay." I told him.

"Yeah, that was quite a while ago. It always helps me sleep better when you are next to me." He admitted.

"Me too." I hesitated not sure if I should say more but I did. "I missed you this morning when I woke up."

He pulled me in tighter and planted a kiss on the top of my head. He rested his lips there for a while before turning to rest his cheek against my head. His hand rubbed up and down my back. He cleared his throat and then inhaled and exhaled before he spoke.

"Would you like to do something tonight?" He asked.

"What?" I asked.

"Like go out to dinner or to the movies. Anything you want." He proposed.

"Okay tell me my two favorite restaurants." I inquired.

"Pino's and Rosini's." He answered quickly.

"Which one am I least likely to run into Morelli or my family?" I asked.

"Pino's is a local pizza and sandwich shop where most of the local cops hang out. You love their pizza and meatball subs. Rossini's is an actual sit down and dress nice kind of restaurant." He explained.

"No Pino's." I quickly stated.

"How about I pick you up at five o'clock at Hector's place? If we eat early we still have time for dancing, talking or taking a walk." He asked.

"That sounds good." I moved to sit up.

He pulled me back against him and kissed my head again. "Thank you."

"You're so warm." I cuddled into him.

"I wish you would stay here instead of sleeping at Hector's." He sighed.

"I just…I don't know." I stuttered as he kissed my head.

"Shh Babe. I wasn't looking for an answer or trying to change your mind. I was just stating how I felt." He rubbed my back.

"Thank you." I kissed his shoulder.

"I'm trying. I know you need to hear it." He confessed.

"I do." I assured him.

"Do you want to talk about last night? About what happened at the airport?" He offered.

"Not yet." I told him.

"Understood." He kept his hand gently rubbing my back.

"Can you show me where I sometimes worked?" I asked as I sat up.

"No problem." He smiled.

Once the elevator doors opened onto the busy floor I kept my head down as Ranger led me to my cubicle. I immediately sat down in my chair and started glancing around at the soft walls. There were papers and pictures tacked up all over the place.

"You gonna be okay for a while or do you want me to stay?" Ranger asked.

"I'll be okay." I assured him.

He took a step away but I called out to him.

"Ranger."

"Yes?" He turned to look at me.

"Thanks for giving me choices." I acknowledged.

He smiled before he turned and faded down the hallway formed by cubicles. I focused back on my space. There was a bin that said in and some files were stacked in there, my out box was empty. Some papers were scattered around, but it was mostly orderly. I started inspecting the walls of the little grey cubicle. There were some copies of receipts from the Bonds Office. I assumed these were recoveries I was particularly proud of. I saw one with Morelli's name for $10,000.00. There were pictures gathered together in one area like a collage. I noticed one of me looking amazing in a little black dress and incredibly high FMP's. I was smiling up at Ranger who seemed to be surveying me with pride in his eyes. There were a few shots of burning cars and me with various men in black. One with Hector and I and one with Tank and I with Lester photobombing. I noticed there was a mugshot of Ranger.

"You okay?" Asked a voice near the opening of the cubicle.

"Yeah." I turned to find Lester.

"Anything I can help you with Beautiful?" He asked.

"Well, I was wondering why there is a mugshot of Ranger on my wall." I gestured to the picture.

Lester chuckled. "He was FTA."

"What did he do?" I was surprised.

"He was charged with killing Homer Ramos." Lester explained.

"He didn't do it." I said without thinking.

"No he didn't." Lester agreed.

"Did I go after him? Did I catch him?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No, you helped him. You wouldn't accept the file from Vinnie who tried to give it to you because he knew you could always get in touch with Ranger."

"Vinnie my cousin?" I asked.

"Yes. He's the one who owns the bonds office. That's who you work for." He moved to lean against the desk.

"So he wanted me to use my friendship with Ranger to lure him in?" I shook my head.

"Yeah, but he doesn't know you I guess. Ranger had dozens of voice mails and text messages asking him why or telling him to hide or asking if he did it. But, there was one message from you. Do you remember what you said?" I shook my head no. "You asked if he was okay."

"So, both Morelli and Ranger have been FTA before but I only went after and caught Morelli?" I paused. "Ranger I helped."

"Yep." Lester popped the 'p'.

"And me in this dress." I pointed to the picture.

"Distraction attire. We can go try some of those dresses on if you'd like to see if it jogs your memory." He waggled his eyebrows.

I laughed "Nah, I'm good."

"Anything else you wanna know?" Lester asked.

"My in-box. What do I do with it?" I asked.

He shrugged. "When you feel like it, you can do searches. I'm not sure if you remember how to do the searches but Hector logged you on this morning. He probably wrote down your logs in's for you and stuck them in your desk or under your keyboard."

He stepped around me and jiggled the mouse while the screen came to life. My background picture was of a hamster.

"Rex! Where's Rex?" I asked him.

"Cal kind of adopted him while you were gone. He keeps him in his room overnight and brings him to his desk during the day while he works." Lester explained.

"That's nice. I suppose I should share custody." I smiled.

Lester moved closer and stood behind me. I felt him lean in close as he looked over my shoulder. He wrapped an arm around me and gripped the mouse before he spoke.

"So here on your desktop are a few different search programs. This one is a basic background search. This one is an in-depth credit search. This one is an in-depth personal history search including all things financial. This one is an in-depth search on all things medical. This one is an in-depth government search that may or may not be legal for us to have. This one is a crawler, it searches online for any mentions or references of the person. This one is a general newspaper search. I'm not sure which ones you prefer, but you can play around with them." He picked up a folder from my in-box. "It seems these are just new clients and job applicants, so no hurry."

"Thank you Lester." I gave him a smile.

"No problem Beautiful. Just holler if you need me." He stepped back and then left me alone with my work.

I spent the next few hours doing all of the searches required to empty out the in-box. Once I did the first one, I quickly got the hang of it and found myself moving faster and using several programs at once. I don't know if I was remembering or if it was just second nature to me. Often times something in a file would stand out to me and I would pursue that one area and get a ton of information that proved my hunch was important. Completing the work gave me a sense of accomplishment and I felt like I was really helping out the guys who had helped me.

"Hey Steph." Came a deep voice.

I spun around in my chair to find a man looking down sheepishly. When he glanced up at me I saw the skull tattoo on his head. I smiled at him and gestured for him to step inside the small area.

"Hi Cal." I greeted him.

"You remember me?" He was surprised.

"You're kind of hard to forget." I snickered.

"Thank you." He smiled. "Listen Steph, I don't know if you remember your hamster Rex…"

"I do and I'm glad he is staying with you. I thought we could share custody." I suggested.

He let out a big sigh of relief. "Thank you. I would love that."

"Thank you for taking care of him." I nodded to Cal.

"My pleasure, he's a great companion." He admitted.

"He sure is, and a great listener." I chuckled and he smiled back at me.

The rest of the day I played around on the computer doing different searches on my family and myself. I passed right through lunch time without even noticing. When I glanced at the clock I realized it was 4:00 already and my stomach gave a little growl. I straightened up the desk and headed towards Hector's apartment. He wasn't there when I let myself in. I spied my phone on the nightstand and checked it to see the battery was dead. I plugged it in and hopped in the shower. I was dressed and ready by 4:45. I had chosen a red dress with matching heels. My hair was down and tamed into soft curls instead of the frizzy mess it looked like when I first dried it. I was sitting on the bed checking through my phone.

I had several missed calls from Morelli, my mother, Lula, Connie, and Mary Lou. I called Mary Lou back and she was happy I was okay and she explained to me we had grown up together, but I had no real memories involving her yet. She sounded like a nice person. I asked her about my family and she said my mother wanted what she thought was best for me. She told me how much Morelli loved me and how everyone knew we would get together in the long run. She was worried about me staying in Ranger's building.

When I called Lula back she put me on speaker so I could chat with her and Connie. I told them about the accident and how I was still working on regaining my memory. They were both very excited to learn that I was not staying with Morelli. They seemed to think Ranger was the 'hottie' I belonged with. I decided to skip calling back my mother or Morelli for now. I didn't know if I could talk to Morelli but I definitely didn't want to see him face to face alone now that I remembered him putting his hands on me.

"Babe" I looked up to see Carlos in the doorway.

"Hey." I greeted him.

"I knocked on the door." He explained.

"I was returning phone calls." I got up from the bed.

Ranger looked me up and down "You look beautiful."

I felt the pink rise through my cheeks. "Thank you."

I looked him up and down, enjoying his black slacks that hung on him in all the right places. He was wearing a long sleeve black shirt that was rolled up exposing his forearms and opened at the neck showing a lot of hot mocha latte skin that I just wanted to lick. Then I made it up to his face and stared into his eyes. "You don't look so bad yourself."

He smiled and moved across the room towards me. He held out his hand and with no hesitation I placed my small hand into his much larger hand. He kissed me on the cheek before pulling me into a hug. It was a sweet and gentle hug that made warmth spread throughout my body. He ushered me towards the door while resting his hand on the small of my back. I tucked my phone into my purse as we moved towards the door. We moved in silence until I thanked him when he held open the car door. Once we pulled out of the garage I decided to start up conversation.

"Did we go on lots of dates before?" I asked.

"No, but we have been out to eat together before." He answered me.

"Did I go on dates with Morelli?" I asked him.

"Not that I know of. Your usual was pizza or subs at his house while you watched baseball." He shrugged.

"Dates with anyone else?" I asked.

"I don't think so." He shrugged.

"Did you go on dates?" I questioned him.

"No." He stated.

"So, no dates?" I was curious.

"Not that I know of." He told me.

"And you know quite a bit about me?" I watched his face.

"I like to think I do." He smirked.

I inhaled the smell of leather from the car and rubbed the seat as I glanced around. I wiggled in the soft seat and let out what I thought was a quiet moan. He chuckled as I felt my cheeks turn pink.

"What kind of car is this?" I asked him.

"A Porsche 911." He told me.

 _The inside of the car flashed before me and it was daytime. I was leaning over the console kissing Ranger's neck and rubbing his thigh. He tilted his head to allow me better access as I continued to lick, bite and suck. My hand moved to stroke the inside of his thigh and I brushed against his erection that was pressing into his cargos._

" _Have you ever done it in a 911?" I whispered in his ear before I sucked on his lobe._

" _We're almost back to Rangeman." He told me._

" _I can't wait." I stroked him through the cargos._

" _I don't think it's possible." He told me._

" _I bet I can do it." I bit his neck._

 _He quickly pulled into an alley and drove half way through. He moved his seat all of the way back and then met my eyes._

" _Go for it." He waited._

 _I leaned over and unfastened his cargos and he lifted his hips so I could lower them. I stroked him twice and then I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted him and I wanted him bad. It was like I needed him and nothing was going to stop me until I had him inside of me. I thought for a moment and then realized there was only one way I could see managing this. I left my jeans balled up on the floor and got out, ran around the car, opened his door, and straddled him with one leg outside and one foot on the console. I was so wet he just slid right in and I was instantly seconds away from orgasm. The feel of him so deep inside of me as I moved was satisfying the ache inside me that I didn't even realize I had. Beeeeeep! My ass was on the horn. Beeeep, beeeep, beeeep, beepbeepbeepbeepbeep! I couldn't stop myself from the orgasm that shuddered through my body no matter how loud that damn horn was. I felt him push up into me when he climaxed under me. As I came back down I looked into Ranger's eyes. A bead of sweat streaked down the side of Ranger's face. "Babe."_

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed as my eyes flew open.

"What's wrong Babe?" Ranger slowed the car and looked at me.

"We had sex in this car." I announced.

He chuckled. "I didn't believe it was possible, but you proved me wrong."

"Wow it was intense." I spoke before I realized what I was saying.

"Good to know." He bit back more laughter.

Now I was thoroughly embarrassed and decided I shouldn't talk anymore until we got to the restaurant. When we arrived Ranger pulled in front for the valet. He jogged around the back of the car and opened my door. He held out his hand and I thanked him as he pulled me from the car. He placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me to the door. It was like that one spot on my lower back was made just for him. Every time he put his hand there to guide me it felt like it belonged there. The host held open the door and we approached the podium.

"Manoso." Ranger told the man behind the podium.

He scanned the paper before him and then smiled. "Yes sir. Right this way."

I followed the host as he showed us to our table. Ranger held out a chair for me and then took one that had his back against the wall. Somehow this seating process felt very familiar to me. After several minutes of pouring through the menu I decided to order the fettuccini alfredo with sausage. Ranger smiled and slowly shook his head. I waited for the waiter to leave before I spoke.

"Why did you smile when I ordered?" I asked.

"You ordered your favorite dish." He informed me.

"Oh, that's good I guess." I shrugged. "Hey wait, how do you know what my favorite dish is?"

"We ate here together before." He explained.

"Oh. What else have we done? I mean like what do we do?" I questioned.

"We work together. We work on your cases as well as mine. We've gone on stake-outs together, eaten meals in my apartment. We've watched TV a couple of times at your place and mine." He told me.

"Doesn't sound like I know how to date. I really am emotionally immature. No walks on the beach? No strolls through the park?" I mused.

"Would you like to do those things?" He took a drink of his water.

"Maybe." I picked up my water.

"In Hawaii we went snorkeling, we went to Luaus. I was reading a book to you." He chuckled.

"Reading me a book? Can I not read?" I felt my forehead scrunch up.

"You can read just fine Babe. It became a joke I guess. You brought this book to the beach and had planned to read it. You put sunblock all over and then you got some in your eye. Your hands were greasy and when you rubbed your eyes it just got worse. You couldn't see and your eyes were watering. Then you tried to wipe them with your towel and got sand in them." He chuckled.

"Wow" I was amazed.

"So I told you to close your eyes and started reading it to you." He went on.

"That was nice. Did I ever finish it?" I was curious.

"Well…" He hesitated.

"Tell me." I felt myself smile.

"Well, you tried to read more that night while I was checking my e-mail." He smiled and shook his head. "You came to the doorway in this cute little blue teddy, all pouty mouthed, telling me how the book wasn't the same without hearing it through my voice."

"Did you send me off to bed?" I chuckled.

He nodded. "Yes I sent you off to bed and I followed you. I read for a couple of hours that night and we finished it the next day on the patio."

"Was it any good?" I asked.

"It had funny parts and sexy parts." Then he chuckled as if he remembered something.

"What?" I tilted my head.

"A few times we had to take a break when the book got too intense." The waiter placed our salads on the table in front of each of us.

"Too intense? Was it a scary book? A suspense thriller?" My eyes grew wide.

"It was a romance novel." He picked up his fork.

"Oh, so there were sexy scenes." I surmised.

"Yes, but there was something else." He forked a tomato into his mouth.

"Tell me." I was excited.

"One of the characters referred to sex as 'happy naked fun time'." He threw his head back in laughter and I began laughing so hard I felt the tears in my eyes.

"That is hilarious." I continued giggling.

"We basically had the same reaction when I read it." He was calming down.

I studied his face. This man was so gorgeous it almost hurt to look at him. When he smiled it just added to his perfection. His eyes were so deep and sexy, I felt like I could get lost just staring into them. The only thing that ever bothered me was when he allowed his face to go blank of any emotions. Tonight he was open, and I was so happy to spend time with him. After we finished our dinner we went to a small park nearby and took a walk. I was staring up into the night's sky.

'We could see the stars much better in Hawaii." I noted.

"It's light pollution. There are too many lights around to get a clear view. I would love to take you on a cruise. I want to show you the stars from the ocean." He held my hand in his.

"Have you been on a cruise?" I asked him

"No, A few times my team had to hitch a ride with the Navy. I can't even begin to properly explain to you how amazing the sky looks from the ocean. Even more so on a ship that has no lights on. I would love to see the look on your face at such a sight." He remarked.

I laughed. "If you had that view why would you want to look at my face?"

He stopped and turned to face me. When I looked up at him our eyes met. He leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on my lips before he spoke.

"There is no sight that is more beautiful than you. I could look into those sparkling blue eyes forever. That cute little nose and strong cheek bones. Your pink plump lips." He kissed me again. "Everything Babe."

"You only want me because you think I'm attractive." I tried to dismiss the conversation.

He kissed my forehead. "You are beautiful inside and out. That's what sets you apart from so many pretty faces."

My cheeks turned bright red and I dropped my chin a little. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything with me." He tugged my hand and we started walking again.

****************THANK YOU*****

Thank you reviewers who keep me going and than you Jenn who keeps things straight


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13-

"Tell me about me and Ranger." I demanded.

I was sitting across from Lester in the break room. I had decided I would spend the day trying to get more information on Ranger and I from the people I trusted the most. My plan for the day was to go through the Rangeman building asking anyone who wasn't busy to give me more information about my relationship with Ranger. When I came up to five seeking coffee I found Lester alone in the break room.

"I don't know what you want me to tell you Beautiful." He stirred in his cream.

"What's your impression of us? What kind of relationship did we have?" I pushed.

"He was your mentor. When he started bringing you around we thought for sure he was screwing you. We soon found out he wasn't. We got to know you and quickly figured out why he wanted you around." Lester took a drink.

"Why?" I stirred in more sugar.

"He smiled more when you were around, he laughed more. We all did. You were constantly getting yourself into these fun messes. Anyone else would have needed to be handled like glass and it would have been a drag. Not you." He smiled. "You bounced back after everything. You were always positive and tenacious. Damn, you are like a dog with a bone when you are after someone."

"Did you think Ranger liked me?" I asked.

"We all liked you." He took a drink of his hot coffee.

"So it was just a friendly relationship? The same I had with all of you?" I asked.

"No, I wouldn't say that. Shit Steph, you have total access to the entire building. Some of the guys who have worked here for years don't have that. You also have access to his penthouse and that's a button only the core team has." He stated.

"What's the core team?" I was curious.

"The partners that started Rangeman. Me, Tank, Bobby and Ranger." He told me.

"Wow." I was shocked.

"Yeah." He paused. "Ranger doesn't kiss and tell but anyone would be a fool to not see how special you are to him."

"So you both work the monitors?" I grabbed a chair.

I pulled my chair up to the large desk where two men sat in roller chairs. One man was a tall red head with brown eyes and a permanent frown. The other man was African-American with close cut hair and big brown eyes. This man didn't wear a smile but at least there wasn't a frown permanently set on his face. We were sitting at a big desk with computers, buttons and four phones, on the wall in front of us were a sea of monitors. I had no memory of either one of these guys so I was curious to find out if they knew anything about Ranger and myself.

"Everyone has to do a monitor shift two times a week." The dark skinned man told me.

"I'm a contract worker. I work where I'm told to work." The red head answered.

"Do you know who I am?" I asked them both.

"Stephanie Plum AKA Bombshell Bounty Hunter." The redhead chuckled.

"We've met before, my name is Markus." The other man nodded.

I smiled at Markus and then turned to the other man. "And you?"

"I've never met you before, but I do know I am not supposed to even think about you." He looked me up and down. "The name's Sid."

"Not to think about me?" I asked Sid.

"Yeah someone high up here has a real hard on for you." He shrugged.

"You better watch yourself." Markus warned him.

"You like working here?" I asked Sid.

"Yeah, wish I could make it permanent. Everyone here is pretty cool. Besides I wouldn't mind having a go at some of the boss' cast-offs." He snickered.

"Oh shit." Markus chuckled.

"Cast-offs?" I was curious.

"Yeah, I don't know what's wrong with him. A few times I have seen him in a bar with some of the guys and these women, these gorgeous women are all over him left and right." He paused. "He kicks them all to the curb. Never seen him leave with one. Thought he might be gay for a while, but one of the guys says he's got a real hottie and he's all loyal and shit." Sid laughed.

"Yeah, she is pretty hot." Markus winked at me.

"No chick is that hot. Seriously, you had to see some of these women." He shook his head.

"So, you don't have a girlfriend?" I asked.

"I have a couple." Sid winked at me.

"Well, thanks guys. Hope you have a great day." I got to my feet.

I started to walk away and then turned back to meet Markus' eyes. I gave him a quick smile. My next stop was finding the infirmary. I wanted to talk to Bobby the Rangeman medic and one of the core team members. I knew his office was on the fourth floor so I just took the stairs one flight down. It almost felt funny to use the stairs, like I should be in the elevator. When I came out of the stairwell the only way to go was straight ahead so I started walking.

The first door on the right after the elevator had to be his office. The door was wide open and there were a few chairs outside in the hallway. I knocked on the open door as I walked in. There was no response. The room smelled like it had been recently cleaned as the scent of bleach and antiseptic still lingered in the air. There were metal counters along the walls to my right and left with matching cabinets perched above them. The counters held various containers of cotton balls, cotton swabs, gauze, bandages and all sizes of medical gloves.

In front of me was a giant curtain pulled across the room. I jumped when the curtain was pulled open. A dark skinned black man was pulling back the curtain to reveal two separate hospital beds and tons of equipment surrounding them. While his back was to me, he was bopping up and down to the music that I could barely hear coming from his headphones. I covered the giggle that tried to escape my mouth when he turned around and froze at the sight of me.

"Hey Bomber." He smiled at me as he pulled his headphones out of his ears.

"You must be Bobby." I returned his smile.

"Yes." He nodded

The smile stayed on my lips as I studied his friendly face. His eyes were a bright brown making them appear almost beige against his dark skin. He had neat braids tight against his head and a small gold earring in each ear. He wasn't as well built as Tank or Ranger but he was definitely not someone I would want to challenge. He gestured for me to sit down in a chair in front of his desk.

"Can I ask you some questions?" I sat down.

"Of course you can, but let me ask you first how are you feeling?" He perched at the edge of his desk.

"I'm better, still sore at times and a mild headache now and then. I spend more time worrying about the frustration of not being able to remember than any real physical pain." I answered honestly.

"Wow. Thanks for the honesty." He leaned back.

"Do I usually lie?" I tilted my head.

"Not really lie, you just have a habit of underplaying your injuries. You are not someone I would ever call a whiner. You suck it up." He winked.

"Now I'm whining?" I questioned.

"No." He chuckled. "You're stating the facts. It's a happy medium."

"Good. I'm glad." I nodded.

"So what did you want to ask me?" He clasped his hands in his lap.

"Can you tell me about me and Ranger?" I asked.

"What do you want to know?" His forehead scrunched up.

"What did you think about our relationship?" I clarified.

He shrugged. "I'm a medic and in the medical field I am focused on facts. When I am trying to determine how to treat someone I use the facts to eliminate all possible scenarios until I am left with a solution."

"Then tell me the facts." I suggested.

"As I know them?" He was curious.

I nodded "Yes, as you know them."

"When you are hurt or injured he wants me there yesterday. I can't get there fast enough to check you out. Even when he takes care of you with a Band-Aid or whatever, he still expects me there to check you out. It's almost as if…" He paused. "Your pain physically hurts him."

"Is that possible?" I asked.

He chuckled. "Anything's possible."

"What about when I have had to go to the hospital?" I checked.

"You will do all you can to avoid a hospital visit for her. A hospital stay is counterproductive to her recuperation." Bobby mimicked Ranger's voice as we both laughed.

"Yeah, he reminded me I do hate the hospital." I chuckled.

"I do what I can and you always allow me to check on you. Partly because you know I will only recommend the hospital as a last resort and partly to shut him up I think." Bobby explained.

"Is he the same with all of his employees?" I questioned.

"Not hardly." He guffawed.

"Meaning?" I waited.

"Steph, he looks at them and sends them home or to me. It's my decision if they should go to the hospital. If they end up at the hospital he checks on them." He tilted his head.

"And with me?" I prodded for more answers.

"With you I don't decide about the hospital. He listens to my advice and talks to you before he decides. When you have gone to the hospital he doesn't check on you." He leaned back in his chair.

"He doesn't check on me?" I felt my eyebrows furrow.

Bobby shook his head. "He doesn't need to. He rides in with you and doesn't leave until you do."

"Really? What about when I was dating Morelli?" I asked.

"If he wasn't in your room he was in a lobby or a room nearby." Bobby admitted.

"Oh." I was surprised.

"Yeah, those are the facts." He picked up a paper on his desk.

"Thank you for your time. I'm sorry I interrupted you."

"It's fine. I just need to get these lab results sent in." He wiggled the paper.

"I think I got the answers I needed." I got to my feet. "Thanks again."

"Anytime Steph." He told me as I left the room.

I had one more person I wanted to speak to here before I needed to make a trip. I went back into the stairwell and climbed up to the fifth floor. I passed by Ranger's office giving him a quick finger wave until I stopped right in front of Tank's open door. I knocked while I entered and he looked up from his paperwork to greet me with a smile.

"Is it my turn little girl?" He gestured for me to have aa seat.

"How did you know?" I sat down in the high backed leather chair.

"Not much goes on around here that I don't know about." He winked at me.

"Okay, so what can you tell me about Ranger and I?" I asked.

He studied me for a minute and then got to his feet. He came around his desk and passed me so he could close the door. He took a deep breath and then headed back to his seat. He sat back down and rested his hands on each of the arm rests before he spoke.

"What do you want to know?" Tank asked.

"Did he talk about me? What's your perspective? Do you think he cares about me?" I asked.

"We don't exactly sit around and talk about our feelings." Tank leaned back further in his chair.

"No locker room talk?" I pushed.

He chuckled. "That's not our style,"

"So, there's nothing you can tell me?" My shoulders slumped.

Tank pondered for a moment. "He is fiercely protective of you."

"Like a sister?" I offered.

"Not even close." He shook his head.

"Explain." I instructed.

"There is no woman he puts above you in his life. There is nothing he wouldn't do for you. If you are in danger nothing matters but helping you." Tank told me as he leaned forward.

"Wow." I sat back in the chair.

"You can't feel it? We all like you here, he likes you." He offered.

"That's nice." I smiled.

"Look little girl, I don't know anything about romantic love. I love my family and I love my brothers in arms. I never met a woman I would drop everything for; I never had a woman I was willing to put above everyone else. I certainly never had a woman I could trust with my keys and my home. Whatever it is you two have it's something worth holding onto." He finally finished.

"Wow. I didn't know you could say so much." I was shocked.

"Yeah well I just met my quota for the week, so don't expect much more out of me." He focused down on some papers.

"Thanks Tank." I rose to my feet.

"I meant it when I told you I like you Steph." he admitted.

"I like you too." I confessed before I pulled the door open.

I stepped into the hallway and then turned back with my hand still on the doorknob. I let go leaving it open as I met Tank's eyes in question. He nodded his permission so I left the door open. I turned towards Ranger's office and took the few steps it took to reach his door. He was still seated at his desk and looked pleasantly surprised when I stopped this time rather than passing him again.

"How's your day going Babe?" He asked me.

"You know, don't you?" I shook my head but smiled.

"Babe" He gleamed.

"Does that mean yes? Did I ever understand Babe language?" I asked as I moved closer to his desk.

"I think you did." He got to his feet.

"Babe 101" I suggested as I stood beside his desk.

"Did you find all of your answers?" He asked me.

He moved towards me and grabbed my waist. He slid me up onto the desk and moved to stand in between my legs. I watched his face as his hands slid around to my back. He moved them slowly up my back, leaving a trail of heat along the way. He reached my shoulders and moved his hands in a quick massage before sliding them up my neck. I shivered at the warm touch of his long fingers on my neck. I hadn't realized I had closed my eyes until I felt his hands cup my face. I felt his breath warm on my lips. I waited for his kiss but nothing happened. I opened my eyes and he smiled at me.

"May I?" He asked.

"Yes." I whispered.

His lips quickly covered mine as his hands slid through my hair. His tongue darted out and stroked my bottom lip until I allowed them to part. He gently pushed his tongue into my mouth. I felt a moan escape from inside of me but he swallowed the sound. His fingers pushed through my hair until he was cupping the back of my head; I tilted my head as I allowed him to change the position of our kiss. I felt my hand wrap around his waist as the heat of his kiss traveled throughout my body. I heard a noise somewhere in the background and quickly remembered the door was open. I pulled back and smiled. He watched me to see if I was upset but quickly returned my smile. I pulled him into a warm hug and turned my head. As I pressed my head into his chest I could still feel the tingle of his kiss on my slightly swollen lips.

"I'm sorry I got carried away." He spoke softly.

"No, it was fine. I just didn't want an audience." I told him as I pulled back.

"Understood." He smiled before placing a chaste kiss on my lips.

"Are you having a good day?" I asked

"I am now." He kissed my nose.

"Hey. You have a business to run. Didn't you get enough kisses last night?" I teased.

"I don't think I have ever walked a date to her door and gave her a kiss goodnight." He shook his head.

"We kissed a lot." I reminded him.

"Yeah and it was good, but then you went inside and I went home alone." He noted.

"That's how a date works." I rolled my eyes.

"I've never really been on one before. As a kid I was hanging out on the streets. We went to the movies in groups. As an adult typically I just meet someone out. Maybe a couple of times dinner was involved, but I'm not a big planner." He admitted.

"You? Not a big planner?" I pulled away from him.

I held out my arms and spun around.

"Look at this incredible place you built. You had to have plans for this." I stopped to focus on him.

"Let me clarify that. I don't plan time for people." He almost rolled his eyes.

"What about appointments? Meeting up with Tank?" I suggested.

He scrubbed his hand across his face. "I don't make time for women."

I batted my eyelashes and stepped in close to him. "You made time for me."

"I will always make time for you Babe." He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me into him.

"Oh my hero!" I leaned back away from him and draped the back of my hand over my forehead.

"Am I interrupting?" Hector spoke from the doorway.

I laughed and pulled away from Ranger's arms. I bounded over to Hector and jumped into his arms for a big bear hug.

"Hermano" I kissed his cheek.

"You ready Angelito?" He asked.

"Yep." I smiled.

"Where are you two headed?" Ranger asked.

"We are going to lunch and then Hector is taking me to visit friends." I told him.

"Steph…" Ranger started and then stopped.

"I have Mario and Javier tailing us today." Hector told him.

"Of course." Ranger forced a smile.

I moved across the room and into his arms. I squeezed myself tightly against his chest and then pulled my head away to look up into his eyes. I leaned up and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. He reached behind his back and grabbed my left hand. He pulled it up to his lips and placed a kiss on my ring finger. He held my hand in his as he kissed my nose next. Just then my stomach interrupted this sweet moment with a low growl. My face flushed as both men laughed.

"We better get going." Hector chuckled.

"Be safe." Ranger released my hand.

"We'll be fine." I assured him.

"Hector." Ranger called.

"Con mi vida." Hector told him as both men nodded. (With my life)

Hector and I pulled out of the Rangeman garage and he pointed the car towards the Burg. We had decided this morning that I needed to get some information from some of my friends that did not live in the Rangeman building. The plan was to stop at Mary Lou's house first and then we would pick up Connie and Lula to take them to lunch at Pino's.

"Come on in." Mary Lou greeted us at the door.

"Thanks for letting us come by on such short notice." I followed her into the kitchen.

"Steph, we have been best friends since the first grade." She shook her head.

"I still appreciate it." I took a seat at the table.

"I'll be over here. I have some phone calls to make." Hector jerked his head towards the couch in the other room.

"Thank you." I smiled at my brother who always seemed to know just what I needed.

Mary Lou filled mugs with hot coffee and set one down in front of me. There was already a small pitcher of milk and a bowl of sugar on the table. I smiled at her and picked up a spoon. I had no idea what I took in my coffee. Ranger usually fixed it for me. Oh my God, this is crazy. I poured in some milk until it looked like the color I was used to. I put in a teaspoon of sugar as I did taste tests. I stopped at two teaspoons and finally took a big gulp. I wrapped my hands around the mug and leaned back happily into my seat.

"Wow. You really did lose your memory." Mary Lou remarked.

"You didn't believe me?" I asked.

"It's not that I didn't believe you. It's just seeing it with my own eyes." She shrugged.

"The coffee?" I cringed.

"Yeah. Usually you take your coffee with a couple of more teaspoons of sugar." She chuckled.

I shrugged. "This is the way Ranger has been making it for me."

"What's going on with him? Don't think I haven't noticed the rock on your finger." She smirked.

I lifted my hand and examined the diamond. She grabbed my fingers and pulled it to her for inspection. She turned my hand left and right and then shook her head when she pulled back.

"Steph, that rock has to be about 3 karats. I can't even tell if the little blue gems beside it are blue diamonds or sapphires. And those little diamonds on the wedding band? You have to be wearing a Porsche on your finger." She blew out a low whistle.

"A Porsche?" I asked.

"Yeah, if you traded those in you could probably use the money to buy a Porsche." She shook her head.

"Oh." I took another drink of coffee.

"Morelli is telling everyone you are wearing fake rings because you were on a case where you had to pretend to be married." She blew out a breathy laugh. "Those aren't fake."

"Ranger said they were real. I don't think he lies to me." I clasped my hands together.

"You don't remember anything?" She was curious.

"I have been remembering bits and pieces here and there. Nothing about you, my friends or family. It's mostly been triggered when I am around people." I sighed.

"What have you remembered about Morelli?" She asked.

I shrugged. "Our first time, It wasn't pleasant."

"No it wasn't." Mary Lou agreed.

"I don't think I wanted it, but I didn't say no. Does that make sense?" I asked her.

"Yeah,, no one wants their first time to be on the floor of the bakery." She agreed. "How about other memories of the adult relationship with Morelli?"

"He felt comfortable. I know I love him, I'm just not sure what kind of love it is." I confided.

"And Ranger?" She prodded.

"I love him too." I answered her.

"That's a tough one. You have been struggling with this for some time now. Too long." She drank her coffee.

"I don't know what to do. Can you tell me about them? About me?" I asked.

"You had a crush on Morelli in high school. After you slept together you were done with your crush. He screwed anything on two legs. He seems to have changed, but there's always rumors" She shrugged.

"Rumors?" I wrinkled my forehead.

"Yeah, rumors he is screwing around on you." She informed me.

"Well from what I understand we have off periods." I smiled at her.

"Well, Steph to be honest from what I hear he has been doing Terri the whole time you have been together. Recently it's been worse." She leaned in close.

"Terri Gilman? Worse?" I was anxious to hear more.

"Yeah Terri Gilman." She hesitated. "And Joyce Barnhardt. Steph. While you were gone it's been going around he was seen coming out of Joyce's house quite a few times at all different hours."

 _I closed my eyes. I was sitting at a large table. Joe was beside me and I quickly glanced around to see the rest of my family._

" _I heard from Mabel that there was a shooting at Terri Gilman's house last week and you had to jump out a second story bedroom window. That must have been exciting." My grandmother was talking to Morelli._

" _Not really." He looked uncomfortable._

" _Mabel said Terri was only dressed in lingerie and she could tell she was wearing a thong. Mabel thinks that Terri had a boob job. What do you think? Did you get a close look?" She continued._

" _I couldn't say," Morelli shrugged._

" _You were with Terri?" I asked him._

" _I had to see her a couple of nights ago." He spoke quietly._

" _You told me you were working." I narrowed my eyes at him._

" _It was work." He told me._

 _Something in my gut told me it wasn't right. I felt my senses going off telling me that he was lying. Morelli's a cop, I've known him my whole life. He wouldn't lie to me. I shook my head to clear it. Okay. No matter how bad it sounded if Joe said he was only seeing Terri for work then it must be the truth. Right?_

 _Lights flashed and then I was somewhere else. I was on a porch looking at a front door. I glanced left and right and then inserted the key. I stepped into the foyer and gently closed the door. My house, this was my home with Dickie. We had been married for a month. I heard noises coming from the other room. I tiptoed through the house following the noises._

 _When I entered the dining room I froze and brought my hand to my mouth to stifle the gasp. The scene that laid before me made me sick to my stomach. There was my husband banging away at some woman he had bent over our dining room table. He was making noises he never made with me. Sounding more pleasured than he ever sounded with me. A lump formed in the back of my throat._

 _The woman screamed out and threw her head back. I knew that crazy red hair and I recognized that voice. Joyce freaking Barnhardt, the same bitch that had been my own personal bully all through school was screwing my husband on my new dining room table. It was so new we hadn't even eaten a meal on it. It was delivered two days ago and we planned on using it for the first time this weekend when we hosted a dinner party. Joyce turned back to look at Dickie and made eye contact with me. She gestured to where I was and Dickie turned around._

" _Steph." He pulled away from her and grabbed his pants from the floor._

" _Don't." I turned around._

" _Wait." I could hear him hopping after me as he pulled up his pants._

" _It's over. I'm done." I headed for the door._

" _Shit, don't leave like this." He pleaded._

" _Fuck you." I spat as I turned to face him and slapped him across the face._

" _It's your fault." He rubbed his cheek._

" _My fault?" I screeched._

" _If you would have done a proper job…" He smirked._

" _Fuck you Dickie." I glared._

My eyes shot open and I jumped to my feet. I began to pace and suddenly Hector was at my side.

"What's wrong?" Mary Lou asked.

"I remembered." I paused. "I remembered my grandmother telling me about Mabel seeing Morelli jump out of Terri's window. I remembered walking in on my husband with Joyce."

"On-My-Dining-Room-Table." I dug my finger into my chest as I emphasized each word.

"It's okay." Hector rubbed my shoulder.

"So wait, let me get this straight. My husband cheated on me, my boyfriend slash fiancée cheated on me." I turned to Hector. "Does Ranger cheat on me?"

"No Estephania. That man would never cheat." He assured me.

"Mary Lou?" I looked at her.

"I don't know if Morelli is still doing it." She shrugged.

"I have pictures." Hector spoke in a hushed voice.

"You have what?" I stepped away from him.

"Pictures. I have pictures. We have been watching him." He confessed.

"Did you show them to me?" I asked.

"No." He shook his head.

"Why not?" I glared at him.

"None of us wanted to hurt you." His eyes were sad.

"Us? Just who else knew?" I asked.

"A few of the guys at Rangeman." He spoke honestly.

"Ranger? Did Ranger know?" I spoke through gritted teeth.

"He didn't want you like that Steph. He wanted you to choose him on your own, not because Morelli cheated. We would have shown you if it was dangerous or if you asked." Hector reached out for me.

I stepped back. "How did you know it wasn't dangerous? Did you test all of his sluts for STD's?"

"Well, no but…" He sputtered

"Just leave me alone." I held up my hand and took another step back.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Let me take you back to the apartment. I'll bunk with someone else for a while." He stepped towards me.

"No. I am not going back with you. I have my wallet that you gave me this morning. I will be fine." I assured him.

"Estephania, Angelito…please." He begged.

"Don't turn on the Spanish and think that's going to get me to do what you want. You guys are my friends, my family and you kept an important secret from me. That hurts." I sniffled.

"I could have lied. I could have told you we showed you. I never lied to you chica." Hector's eyes pleaded with me.

"I know. I hear what you're saying. I get the whole don't shoot the messenger thing." I waved him off.

"If you would have ever suspected I would have shown you. If you would have seriously considered marrying him I would have shown you." He assured me.

"I know Hector, I know. Just right now I need some time to myself." I insisted.

"It's not safe." He explained.

"Grrr." I groaned. "Fine, let's get lunch and finish our day."

"I'll have Mario call the girls and tell them we're on our way." He turned to Mary Lou. "Thank you."

"Anytime." She nodded to Hector before she pulled me into a hug.

"Thanks." I mumbled as I struggled to hold back the tears that welled in the back of my eyes.

"It's going to be okay. You obviously have some great guys taking care of you. It's all going to be okay." She assured me.

"Thank you. I'll call you." I promised.

We arrived at the bonds office about ten minutes later. I didn't immediately open the door because I was nervous about this particular stop. I was nervous about seeing both Connie and Lula at once and stepping into the place where I was told I spent nearly every morning. Hector opened the door for me and I forced my feet out onto the curb. I followed along behind him as he moved towards the door. I stopped and leaned over to glance at the alley in-between the bonds office and dry cleaners.

 _Ranger walked deeper into the alley as I followed behind him. I was about to ask him what he wanted to talk to me about when I felt myself pushed against the cold brick wall. He was all over me, his hands, his lips, his tongue and his hard body. My hands joined his on this crazy frenzy of exploration._

 _Our mouths were fused together as our tongues danced together. We battled back and forth for control of the kiss, taking turns biting and nipping at each other's lips. I ran my hands through his hair and pulled lightly as I bucked my hips against him. I could feel how hard he was against me. His hands moved to my hips before they wrapped around to my upper thighs and lifted me up. I quickly wrapped my legs around him as he pressed me into the wall. I broke the kiss when I needed air and was quickly panting as I shamelessly rubbed myself against him._

I opened my eyes to a ringing phone. "Hello?"

"Babe" It was Ranger.

I glanced at Hector and took a couple of steps towards the alley. We maintained eye contact until he nodded that I had gone far enough. I glanced down the alley and saw Mario give me a wave from the other end.

"Babe?"

"Ranger did we have sex in an alley? Because that's just…I mean it's hot but…" I shifted the weight on my feet.

"No Steph. No we never had sex in an alley. Well, not unless you count inside the 911." He chuckled.

"Hey. I'm serious. We are at the bonds office and I had this memory. I followed you into the alley because you said you wanted to talk. Then you attacked me. I'm talking backed into the brick wall, legs wrapped around waist very little breathing kind of attack." I informed him.

"Do you want me to come there? Maybe if we go to the alley it may help you remember? We can act it out a bit." I could just imagine the wolf's grin that covered his face.

"No. I'm fine." I glared at the phone.

"Your afternoon going well? Did you get lunch yet?" He asked.

"We're about to. Just going to pick up Lula and Connie. Hey! Wait! We need to talk about those pictures of Joe you have that you should have shown me." I demanded.

"Not over the phone." He told me.

"We will discuss this later." I assured him.

"Okay Babe." He quickly responded.

I blew out a quick breath and felt much calmer than when I first found out about the pictures. I waited but he didn't say anything. I knew he was still there because I could hear some background sounds from Haywood.

"How's your day going?" I finally asked him.

"Better now." He told me.

"Because I yelled at you?" I was confused.

"Because I got to hear your voice, and because I am stuck with this vision of us in the alley now." He teased.

"Ranger." I rolled my eyes.

"Are you busy tonight?" He asked me.

"Not that I know of." I shrugged.

"Let me take you out." He suggested.

"On a date?" I smiled.

"Yes. I'll pick you up at six." He announced.

"I didn't say yes." I reminded him.

"You didn't say no." He reminded me.

"What should I wear? Where are we going?" I asked.

"Jeans and a shirt. It's a surprise." He announced.

"See you at six." I told him as he disconnected.

"No phone manners." I spoke out loud as I held the phone from my ears and shook my head.

"Are you coming in or what? We're starving." I looked to see a voluptuous black woman with her hand firmly planted on her hip.

"Lula?" I asked.

"Damn right it's Lula." She moved her hand with attitude.

A woman came out of the door behind Lula and closed it tight before locking it. They both turned to me and I moved closer. Lula grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. When she released me I was pulled into another hug by the other woman, Connie.

"We're starving. Let's go to Pinos and you can see the Bonds Office after we eat." Lula told me.

"Okay." I nodded .

I turned to Hector and moved towards him as the women followed me. Hector held open the back door and Lula slid in followed by Connie. He opened my door and kissed my cheek as I moved past him. I gave him a quick peck in return before I sat down and started fumbling with my seat belt. As he pulled away from the curb Lula launched into a tirade about skipping meals and needing more meat on my bones. This seemed completely normal so I didn't give her much of a response. She went on and on the whole five minute ride while Connie interjected here and there. Hector pulled up in front of the restaurant and we jumped out before he could open our doors. He stayed with us as we walked in and I assumed one of the men escorting us was taking care of parking the car.

My eyes were slow to adjust as we moved into the dark restaurant. When I had my vision I glanced around and felt the instant stare of what felt like everyone in the place. Lula moved towards a table and I followed. I slid into the opposite side of the booth from Lula and Hector moved in beside me. Connie moved in beside Lula and they all began talking about the menu. I knew they were talking but I wasn't really focused on their conversation. I was taking in the room and looking around. Hector didn't speak much around the girls. I was surprised he spoke so much around Mary Lou. I suppose he didn't think it mattered if she knew he could speak English so well.

"Stephanie. Welcome home." I looked up at the friendly voice.

"Thank you." I smiled at the woman.

She was an older woman who looked to be about my mother's age. She had long dark brown hair and stern but friendly brown eyes. She tilted her head and gave me a slight smile. I couldn't read her look. It was like she was concerned for me or felt sorry for me.

"This is Angie Morelli." Connie announced.

"Morelli?" I asked. "Joe's mom?"

"Yes." The woman nodded. "Can I talk to you?"

"Me?" My eyebrows shot up.

"Just for a minute." She promised.

I moved against Hector and he slid out of the booth. Mrs. Morelli took a step back and I followed her a few feet until we were at the bar. She gestured towards a small table and we both sat down. She studied me with her eyes before she reached out to gently arrange a loose strand of my hair. She leaned back and clasped her hands together and allowed them to rest on top of the table.

"Your mother's a shrew, your grandmother's a pain in the ass, your sister is boring and your father's a mute. I won't even get into your brother-in-law." She began.

I sat up to try to correct what she was saying but I had nothing to say.

"My mother is a nutjob, my daughter is miserable and my sons are all cheaters." She shrugged.

"And you?" I asked.

"Me?" She pointed to herself as I nodded. "I am a mother who wants her children happy."

"What does this have to do with me?" I inquired.

"You make my Joey happy." She lifted one hand to gesture towards me.

"I don't remember a lot." I admitted.

"I heard about that. But you remember him?" She asked.

Just for a second I saw a brief flash of Morelli backhanding me and I winced.

"Oh Stephanie." She reached for my hand. "He made a mistake. He's just a man. He is a man who has a very stressful and depressing job. His father set a terrible example. I don't know how Joseph made it out of that house. He took many a beating to protect me."

"I'm sorry." I squeezed her hand.

"You don't be sorry, it was my fault for staying around a man who hurt me and cheated on me. But that's not my Joseph. He made mistakes but he sees that he is wrong. He admits he is not perfect. He will change because he is not a drunk. I believe that's why his father was never able to change, he couldn't give up the alcohol." She went on.

"Did he ask you to come and talk to me?" I asked her.

"Yes." She paused. "He came to me last night upset. He is so worried he has lost you. He is so afraid that you will only have bad memories of him. He loves you so much and just wants another chance to prove it to you."

"I don't know. I haven't made any decisions yet. I am still trying to understand my life here. I may never get my memories back." I pulled my hand away.

"You have to remember how much he loves you. All relationships have their ups and downs, you have to know that any bad memories you have there are good ones you haven't had yet." She implored.

"As I said, I haven't made any decisions." I repeated.

"Hey Cupcake." I heard his deep but apprehensive voice.

I looked up to find Morelli closing the distance to the table where we sat. He looked hesitant and smiled nervously. He motioned towards the empty chair and I nodded. He bent down and kissed his mother on the cheek and then did the same to me. He leaned in and pulled both of my hands into his. My rings bumped against his hand and he shot a quick glance down at my hand before quickly turning away.

'I Love you Cupcake." He began. "I'm not perfect. I've made mistakes. I am sure you will remember and be told things that make me look like the worst guy in the world."

He paused as he squeezed my hands in his. I glanced at his mother who smiled and nodded at me.

"Please give me a chance. Give me a chance to show you why we have been together all of this time. Give me a chance to show you why you have lived with me. Give me a chance to show you what we mean to each other." He pleaded.

I pulled my hands back. "I never said I wasn't giving you a chance. I have barely been back more than a couple of days Joe. I'm not even sure if any more memories will come back at all. I'm just trying to go around and see people and places that may bring back memories."

"Then you have to come by my house. You've stayed there so many times surely you would remember something there." He smiled.

"Not today. I still have to go back to the Bonds Office and then maybe to my parent's house depending on the time." I leaned further back into my chair.

"You need to make time for this Cupcake. This is our future and it's important." He proclaimed.

"Stephanie! The pizza's here." Lula shouted

I looked over at the table. The two women were waving like mad and Hector was glaring. His body was so tense as if he was ready to pounce at a moment's notice. I stood up from the chair at the same time Morelli rose to his feet. He reached out and wrapped a hand around my bicep. Maybe I was oversensitive but his grip seemed a little rough and I tried to jerk my arm away. This is when his grip definitely became tight and it seemed like his entire hand was completely wrapped around my muscle.

"Joe." I looked down at his hand.

"Sorry." He yanked his hand back as if it were on fire.

I looked at his face and felt instant sorrow. For the first time since he had joined us today I took an opportunity to really study his face. His eyes looked tired and desperate, circles under his eyes showed he wasn't getting enough sleep. He was a day passed a five o'clock shadow and he looked absolutely miserable. A part of me hurt for him. I found myself reaching out and cupping one side of his face with my hand. He leaned into it and closed his eyes. After only a few seconds I pulled my hand back and stepped away.

"Stephanie, please think about what I said." Angie Morelli called after me when I took another step.

"I will." I promised.

"I'll call you." Morelli offered.

"Okay." I nodded.

I turned away from them both and headed to the table. Hector stood up to allow me to move back into my seat. His body was back against mine quickly and I leaned into his warmth. I felt like I was in shock and still didn't really understand what the heck just happened. How could I feel like this? I was repulsed by Morelli but at the same time I wanted to hug him. I felt a tear fall down my face and a hand at my cheek.

"We need to go." Hector announced.

"We're just getting started." Lula argued.

"We have a lot to catch up on." Connie announced.

"Not today." Hector stood from the booth and pulled me out after him.

"But what about lunch?" Lula asked.

"Get another pizza and some dessert. I will have a car take you back to the Bonds Shop." Hector tossed some bills onto the table.

"Is she going to be okay?" Connie asked.

"She'll be fine." Hector told them.

"Sorry." I whispered when I realized they were talking about me.

"Nothing to be sorry for." Hector told me.

He wrapped his arm around me and ushered me from the restaurant. He helped me into the car and strapped the seat belt across my body. I felt like I was in a fog. I knew what was happening and I was going along with it but I wasn't really part of things. I heard Hector's voice and assumed he was on the phone because he kept talking with no response from me. I stared out the window before closing my eyes.

" _Stephanie? Stephanie? Wake up." I heard the worried voice._

 _I opened my eyes to see Morelli looking down at me. He heaved a sigh of relief when I opened my eyes. He was cradling me in his arms and we were both seated on the couch. I glanced around and instantly felt a throbbing in my head._

" _What happened?" I asked him._

" _You fell. We were arguing about your car and you tripped. I tried to steady you and you fell over sideways into the coffee table." He informed me._

" _Stephanie!" I heard Angie Morelli enter the room._

" _Angie?" I was confused._

" _Get her some ice and a towel." Mrs. Morelli shooed Joe away and sat down next to me._

" _Why are you here?" I reached up to feel the lump on the side of my head._

" _Joey called me. He was worried about you. He didn't think it was serious enough for a hospital. He knows you hate going there anyway." She traced her fingers along my cheek. "I used to be a nurse you know."_

" _I remember." I nodded._

 _Morelli came back and handed her some ice. She wrapped the bag in a towel and placed it gently against my head. I jumped a bit at the cold before I allowed her to press it against my aching head. She rubbed my cheek with her other hand as she ordered Joe to go get some ibuprofen._

" _Accidents happen when things are heated." She muttered. "Italians have hot tempers but that is part of what makes them incredible lovers."_

" _Yuk. I don't want to talk…" I began._

" _Hush. You think I am a virgin mother?" She laughed. "I am just reminding you that the passion comes with the temper._

"Babe."

I blinked open my eyes to find Ranger cradling me in his arms sitting on his couch. It was very similar to my memory except I was with Ranger at his place rather than with Morelli at his.

"What happened?" I sat up.

"It's kind of like a deep dream state." Bobby announced.

"Bobby." I turned to look at him.

"You're going to be okay. Do you remember what upset you?" He asked.

"I don't think I can fully explain it. It has something to do with another memory I think." I rubbed my eyes.

"Why don't you try?" Hector suggested.

I pulled myself back onto my own seat and leaned against the couch. Ranger was seated beside me and Hector was seated on the coffee table in front of me. Bobby and Lester were both standing near Hector. Tank came through the door and joined us while we sat in silence.

"I think I may really be an idiot." I announced.

"Lester's the only idiot here." Tank winked at me.

"Hey! I take that personally." Lester pouted.

"There's no other way to take it." Bobby chuckled.

Ranger reached for my hand and wrapped his long fingers gently around mine. He pulled our joined hands onto his lap and stared intently into my eyes just waiting. I wiggled closer and leaned my shoulder into him. I heard myself gulp and then cleared my throat.

"I remembered some things about Morelli that aren't good. I'm not sure if it was a real memory or a nightmare." I admitted.

"Tell us. We can help." Bobby assured me.

**********************************THANK YOU***********************************

Thank you all so much for each and every review. Your thoughts are important to me and I actually enjoy reading your opinions. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me.

I can't tell you how much easier it is to publish and not have to worry about going back to fix mistake after mistake. I resisted working with a BETA because I hate to wait. I wanted to write and publish right away. Then I met Jenn and she send me back anything I send her in 24 hours or less. I am always anxious to share the latest chapter and she helps me do that and makes sure it looks good and makes sense. I am very grateful to have found her.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I sat on the couch with my head laid back thinking. I closed my eyes to ward off the headache I felt coming but the bright light of the room continued to seep in. I wasn't even sure where to start but I couldn't keep avoiding it. This was important and my friends needed to hear about this memory from me. I needed their advice and most of all I just needed to tell someone. I needed to get it out. I just couldn't keep this bottled up inside me any longer. I brought my arm up and threw it over my closed eyes.

"Steph." Hector gasped.

I felt cool fingers brush across the underside of my bicep. I realized immediately I must have a bruise there. I pulled my arm away from my eyes and twisted it around until I could see the three small circular bruises lined up with one fat one across from them. Morelli's handprint.

"I don't think he meant to squeeze that hard." I dismissed it.

"Did you tell him about the memory?" Tank asked.

"No, God no." I shook my head.

"Go ahead Steph. We're ready to listen." Lester dropped down into a chair.

I took a deep breath and glanced at Tank and Bobby, they were the only ones still on their feet. Bobby nodded and moved over to the other single chair in the room. Tank crossed his arms over his chest and I continued to stare at him. He looked around at the seating situation. Ranger and I on the couch, Bobby and Lester in the two reclining chairs and Hector sat on the coffee table directly in front of me. Tank muttered and grumbled to himself as he dropped his hands, rolled his eyes and slid in next to me.

"Thank you." I patted his knee.

"Angelito?" Hector waited.

"Today Angie Morelli came to talk to me. She was talking about how upset Morelli was about me not remembering as much as he wanted me to remember yet. She was worried I would only have bad memories. Then she started talking about how he made a mistake. She was reminding me that Joe was not an alcoholic and that he was doing the best he could to not repeat Morelli mistakes. She seemed to know he was cheating on me, but brushed it off as a mistake he wouldn't make again. At least I think she was talking about the cheating, but now I'm not so sure." I sighed.

"Where were you?" Ranger asked Hector.

I placed my hand on the back of Ranger's forearm to calm him. "He was right there. I was sitting at a table with her at Pinos in clear view of everyone."

"Go on." Bobby encouraged me.

"I don't know what the Morelli history she is talking about is. I didn't want to ask her." I admitted.

"The Morelli men have a history of being alcoholics, abusers and cheaters." Lester informed.

"Oh." I was surprised. "This is common knowledge?"

"It's a small community and everyone knows everyone's secrets. Joe Morelli is known for being a good cop. He has his aunt's house and he has settled down. This makes him a good man in comparison to most of the men in his family. The next rational step as far as the Burg is concerned is to marry you and start producing the expected 2.5 children." Ranger told me.

"That makes more sense." I shuttered, thinking of being forever trapped with a man who thought it was ok to put his hands on me in anger.

"What happened next?" Bobby pushed.

"Morelli came into Pinos and with the two of them at the table I got a memory of them together at another time. I have no idea what the time frame is. I was wearing a long sleeve shirt but it was not heavy, so I don't know what season it was. I was at his house." I paused. "I was hurt. I had hit my head and Joe called his mother over to take care of me." I hugged my own shoulders.

"You hit your head? How?" Bobby asked.

"I didn't remember. Morelli told me I tripped and he tried to steady me. He said I fell sideways and hit my head on the table. His mother used to be a nurse before she retired. She was keeping ice on my head and talking to me about accepting the temper that comes along with the passion of Italians." I told them.

The room was silent. I had told them all that I could about what happened today. I needed to tell them about what I remembered when we got back from Hawaii. I knew that's what they were waiting for. I rubbed my hands up and down my thighs, making them warm from the denim of my jeans. I was surprised when it was Tank who grabbed both of my hands.

"I know you found out today that we had photos of Morelli making time with other women. I know you gotta be mad we didn't tell you. It wasn't our place. We were watching him for other reasons. We were checking out another case and the client thought Morelli was a dirty cop. We monitored him for a few months." He told me.

"Is he a dirty cop?" I asked.

"Nah. Not with anything big." Tank patted my hand.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"He fixes tickets for friends, let's people off with a warning, looks the other way when he can, gets the occasional side bonus." Bobby answered.

"Side bonus?" I raised an eyebrow.

"A little pay off here and there. A few hundred from a pot dealer to look the other way." Tank explained.

"Free hummers." Lester growled as all heads whipped to look at him.

"Hummers?" I repeated as realization hit me. "A blow-job? He gets blow-jobs?"

No one answered me. I purposely looked at each man's face one by one as I silently implored them to answer me. Not one man looked away from me but not one man wanted to talk about this with me. Finally Lester spoke up.

"Yeah he gets them from hoes on Stark Street. Well he got about one a week while we watched him." Lester admitted.

"Wow." I blew out a breath.

I pulled my hands away from Tank and leaned back against the couch. I held myself together with my hands as I rubbed up and down on my arms.

"The pictures?" I asked.

"You don't need to see them right now." Hector told me.

"Who?" I managed.

"Terri Gillman." Lester answered.

"And?" I pushed.

"Nicole Brushini, a nurse from the hospital" Bobby stated.

"Jeanne Ellen Burrows." Lester snarled.

"Do I know these women?" I asked.

 _I was walking into the Bonds Office._

" _Jeanne Ellen is working for Steven Soder." I announced._

" _Sit down I gotta hear everything." Lula demanded._

" _She looks like Catwoman." I rolled my eyes._

" _Catwoman and Batman." Connie marveled._

" _Not with Wonder Woman in the picture. I bet Batman will kick Catwoman out of bed for Wonder Woman." Lula tilted her head._

" _She's perfect. She's blonde and beautiful with big boobs." I sighed. "Wonder Woman doesn't stand a chance."_

" _You're going up against Jeanne Ellen?" Vinnie came out of his office._

" _I'm looking into things for Mabel, it's a child custody bond. She's working for the bad guy." I noted._

" _You're going to get your ass kicked." Vinnie smiled._

 _Ranger and I were outside in the rain standing close under a small awning._

" _I'm not having any luck finding Annie Soder." I told him._

" _You're not the only one." He stated._

" _Jeanne Ellen can't find her either?" I asked him._

" _Not yet." He answered._

 _Our eyes held for a moment. "Which team are you on?" I asked._

 _He tucked my hair behind my ear, his fingertips brushing feather light across my temple, his thumb at the line of my jaw. "I have my own team."_

"Ranger?" I snapped my head to him. "You and Jeanne Ellen?"

"What? No Babe. No" He shook his head.

"She's Catwoman. Lula said…Vinnie said…" I bit my lower lip.

"Stephanie, I know Jeanne Ellen from working with her." Ranger explained.

"But she has bigger boobs." I covered my mouth quickly trying to take back what I said.

Lester chuckled. "They're fake."

"Babe, I don't mix work with my personal life…until you." He added.

"Okay, so these pictures. Pictures of Morelli and he is with Terri, the nurse and Jeanne Ellen? And during some of these I am in an 'on' period with him?" I summarized.

"On, off and everything in between." Lester rolled his eyes.

"And this last week while we were gone…Steph it wasn't planned. Raoul's mother lives a few blocks from Joyce and he was going to his mom's house for a birthday party." Tank began.

"And Morelli was leaving her house? Yeah I got the picture. Everyone knows but me, I get it." The tears welled in the back of my eyes.

"Steph…" Bobby started.

"Beautiful…" Lester began.

"Stop." I held my hands up and jumped to my feet.

"Angelito." Hector jumped up in front of me.

"Stop. Please. I need to go to the bathroom. I need to splash some water on my face. I need a beer or a coffee or something please." I kept him away as I moved towards Ranger's bedroom.

I moved swiftly and didn't stop until I was locked inside the giant bathroom. I answered nature's call and then quickly washed my hands. I splashed some cold water on my face and took some deep breaths. I slowly dried each hand carefully on a fluffy white towel before I checked my reflection in the mirror.

"You've got to finish telling them. You need to get this over with. Just get it all out this one time and then it's done." I told myself.

"Babe" I heard Ranger on the other side of the door.

I opened the door and stepped into his open arms. I closed my eyes and let my head lay on his shoulder. It was as if he was lending me some of his strength. I could feel myself becoming steadier and more focused. He squeezed me and planted a soft kiss on the top of my head before he backed away.

"Ready?" He held out his hand.

"Yes." I nodded.

I took his hand as he led us from the room. When we got back to the living room there was a coffee and something else on the table. Two extra chairs had been brought in from the dining room so everyone had a seat. The couch was left for Ranger and I. I sat down into the fluffy cushion and tried to figure out what was next to the coffee.

"Butterscotch Crimpett! My favorite!" I exclaimed.

I don't know how I even knew this was my favorite snack but my stomach was sure ready to taste it. I tore open the TastyCake wrapper and took a big bite of the frosted goodness. The guys were either chuckling or smiling as the atmosphere of the room shifted into a lighter tone. I finished off my treat and even shamelessly licked my fingers before I took a drink from the steaming coffee.

"Thank you." I told my friends.

"Anything for you Steph." Bobby spoke and the others nodded.

"Thanks guys." I set the cup down. "I really don't know how you all do it. I don't know how you stick around me through all of this drama. I didn't mean to have that little mini breakdown, it's just a lot with what I remember and what I'm finding out. As long as I don't find out the people in this room have betrayed me I know I will be okay."

"Beautiful if anyone in this room thought about hurting you the rest of us would kick his ass." Lester smiled.

"Or ignore him and treat him like crap until he told you how he really felt." Hector offered as he shot a glance at Ranger.

'Thank you." I smiled at him.

"We love you Bomber." Tank announced.

"Uh oh! Feelings!" I teased.

"Shut up." Tank snickered.

"Thanks guys." I smiled.

"Anything. Anytime." Lester assured me.

"Okay, I'm going to go over this once and then it's done. I don't want to repeat it a million times and that's why you're all still here. I know you all love me but this is extremely difficult and uncomfortable to discuss, especially with a group of people."

"We appreciate you trusting us." Tank acknowledged.

"Only because none of you would accept it unless you heard it straight from me." I nodded.

I grabbed Ranger's hand and squeezed it tight. After the earlier hug I had allowed myself permission to take strength and comfort from him. Friends give and take from each other and relying on him didn't make me any less independent. Right?

"Before I left for Hawaii Morelli and I had an argument. He assumed because I was going alone that I would screw around on him. Then he became sure I was planning to go with Ranger. He had heard about Ranger and me kissing in the alley next to the bonds office." I shook my head. "It was like he lost his mind. There was nothing I could say or do to change his opinion. He was sure I was some whore who was boinking Ranger every day. He….we…" I trailed off uncertain how to continue.

I was agitated when I ran my hand through my hair. I blew out a big breath and pulled myself together. I leaned forward, rested my elbows on my thighs and linked my hands together. I set my chin on my hands and just stared off into space unable to look any of them in the eyes, as I continued.

"We were screaming at each other. I was so pissed off because he kept calling me a whore and a slut. He kept calling Ranger a thug and saying he was going to throw me away. I told him it was over and I was fine with storming out of the house without another word. But…"

I shook my head and closed my eyes.

"He got in front of me cutting off my way out. He wouldn't let me leave, He wanted me to sleep with him. He demanded I have sex with him one last time. I tried to wait him out but he wouldn't let me go. I tried to make him move so I could leave but he wouldn't let me get around him. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He grabbed me and kissed me. He kissed me hard, it wasn't sexy or passionate and I fought him to release me. He wouldn't let go or stop so finally I bit his tongue."

I stopped to gather my thoughts. The guys hadn't interrupted at all and I was grateful for their understanding. I looked straight ahead because there was no way I would be able to finish this if I looked at any of them.

"He was so angry. God, when he tasted the blood he was so angry. Then it happened and I can't see it any other way than in slow motion in my mind. He hit me. He hit me and it wasn't an accident. He back handed me and it was so hard I went down to my knees."

I opened my hands and dropped my face into them. I rubbed my face before pushing my fingers through the sides of my hair before linking them around the back of my head. I leaned back onto them and stared up at the ceiling.

"As soon as I hit the ground he was there in front of me. He was begging me to forgive him, saying he was sorry and pledging his love for me. He sounded so sad and repentant. He kept telling me how much I mean to him and how much he loved me. When I didn't respond at all he changed again. He told me I was a slut, told me I was nothing but 'Manoso's fuck buddy'. He told me no one would ever believe me if I tried to tell anyone that he hit me. I was angry at myself because I had initially believed his apology and profession of love and then he flipped so fast again. He almost sounded as if I deserved it and I see now he must have believed that. I didn't know what to do so I just ran. I left his house and I ran."

The room remained silent.

"One minute he was apologizing and the next he was telling me it was my fault. That if I hadn't screwed Ranger, hadn't been a whore..."

I sat up and stared straight ahead for a minute before turning to look at Ranger.

"In my memory I told him that I never had sex with you when he and I were 'on'. It seems from my memories he and I didn't talk a lot about personal things whether we were or weren't exclusive. I just know I can't sit here and say who was right or who was wrong in the argument. The fact is Joe Morelli hit me and it doesn't matter what I said or did he shouldn't have hit me. And now…"

I bit into my lower lip and took a deep breath.

"I have a feeling he's often been rough with me. Like him grabbing my arm today so hard he bruised it. I think he's been verbally abusive as well. So far that is the only time I think he hit me. Unless it's not a memory, unless it's just a really bad nightmare."

Ranger grabbed me and pulled me tight against him. His arms quickly enveloped me and the room exploded.

"I am going to fucking kill him." Ranger declared.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Bobby asked.

"If you didn't bite him he would have raped you." Hector said emphatically.

"That piece of shit." Lester said.

"I will break his hands so he will never touch you again." Tank encouraged.

"A real man never puts his hands on a lady." Lester emphasized.

"Son of a bitch." Bobby said.

Their voices all blended together as Ranger held me close and rubbed my back. I closed my eyes and tried to burrow into his neck. I felt his throat vibrate and then there was silence. He pulled me back and kissed the tip of my nose. His eyes were filled with worry and not the pity I expected to find.

"I think everyone needs a little time to come to terms with what we just heard. We will meet up to discuss this as well as any other personal safety concerns in the morning. 0900 in conference room B." Ranger announced.

Bobby and Lester quickly excused themselves and left the room until it was down to just us, Tank and Hector. Ranger pulled me up onto my feet and Hector grabbed me.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you trust me? I could have killed him today. I was so close I could have easily blown his head off." Hector growled.

I grabbed his face and moved in close. "That's why I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to do something stupid. I probably didn't tell you before I went to Hawaii because I figured he would be better when I came back. I don't know."

"You are my hermana. You are all I have." His voice cracked.

"You aren't losing me. You can't ever lose me." I told him.

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in close. "I love you Estephania."

"I love you too Hermano" I wrapped my arms around his middle.

"His words were all lies. You are not a slut or a whore and Ranger would never throw you away. No matter what may happen between you he has and will always be your friend. "Hector told me.

"Thank you." I spoke against his chest.

"I need to go to the gym Angelito." He pulled away from our hug.

"I understand." I nodded.

"You have the keys to come back to the apartment whenever you want." He reminded me.

"I appreciate it." I forced a smile.

He left with a nod to Ranger and Tank was hovering against the wall.. I looked to Ranger, unsure of what to do next.

Tank stepped forward. "Hector's right we can kill him for you. Maybe not in the middle of Pino's but we can arrange for him to have an accident next time he is down on Stark street. One that he never recovers from. Or one that leaves him permanently crippled. Whatever you feel comfortable with." He backpedaled as he saw me getting upset at the thought of them doing Joe in.

"Thanks, big guy, but I don't think that is necessary quite yet. I just need to get the balls to send him a message that it is over and to leave me alone. Broken bones at this point might be a bit excessive."

"What ever you need, we are here to provide for you. Speaking of what ever you need." He pulled a white envelope out of his back pocket. "I have a check for you. This is your portion of the Rug's capture." He handed the envelope out to me. I carefully took it and opened it up.

"Thirty-seven thousand, five hundred dollars? How can my portion be thirty-seven thousand, five hundred dollars?"

"Well the bond was 1.5 million. The reward $150,000. Rangeman takes half off the top and the rest was split. Since you are the one that found the Rug and called in for back-up you get the most." Tank explained.

"But I wasn't the one that caught him. Luca was the one who caught him. In fact, he saved my life in the process. You should give the money to him." I handed the check out towards him.

"We will be sending him a check for his part of the reward, but he doesn't work for Rangeman. We don't actually owe him anything, but he did save your life. He's getting a reward for that more than anything." Ranger explained.

"You get half of what's left for finding him that's what's in your contract. Luca will get twelve thousand five hundred. Everyone else gets five thousand for going and trying to catch him. Cal and Hal split the last five for flying him home and turning him in."

"Wow, I don't know what's in my contract. But since I didn't catch him I didn't think I would get anything."

"Babe, he put you through too much for you to not get anything. You're the one that found him, we wouldn't have any of it if it wasn't for you so you deserve most of the reward."

"Well you have to at least pay for the hospital bills, the flights, the bungalow and all the expenses out of this." I held the check out towards Tank again but he crossed his arms refusing to take it from me.

"The hospital bills are all covered by Rangeman insurance. All the costs come out of the business account, and we can afford them. Rangeman got seventy-five thousand dollars off the top. We can afford to pay for the few expenses. That money is all for you." Tank clarified.

"Wow, well Ok. Thanks." I said and smiled at both Tank and Ranger. Tank nodded to me and did a head tilt to Ranger and left. I just stood there staring at the check.

"Ready?" Ranger asked.

"For what?" My forehead crinkled.

"Our date." He smiled.

"After hearing all that you still want to go out with me?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Nothing's changed except I get to spend more time with you. Let's go grab some lunch."

"Really? Cause that sounds really good right now." I admitted.

He gathered me up into his arms and pecked my lips. "Really."

"I need to change." I told him.

"No you don't. You're perfect." He assured me.

"Jeans and a t-shirt are perfect for a date?" I asked.

"You might be cold. You might want to change into a long sleeved shirt or grab a light jacket. Though it's been pretty mild for September." He shrugged.

I playfully slapped his shoulder. "Let me change my shirt. If you don't mind on the way can we stop at my bank?" I asked waving the check in the air.

"Sure. I'm ready to go; I'll wait here for you to change." He released me.

"Mastoris?" I asked.

"It's one of your favorite diners. We're in Bordentown so we shouldn't run into anyone you know." Ranger explained as he parked the Porsche.

I got out of that car wearing my long sleeved green Henley shirt with my jeans and sneakers. Ranger walked around to my side and slung an arm around my shoulders as we headed into the diner. He ordered some kind of healthy grilled chicken plate with a fruit bowl and I ordered a cheeseburger and fries. He fed me some of the fruit from his bowl and I talked him into eating one of my French fries. I quickly found out I was a junk food junkie and he was a health nut.

The mood was light and comfortable. He told me about some of my funnier apprehensions and about some of the injuries his men have incurred while assisting me. He made me laugh when he told me about the time I thought I was going to help be an interior decorator. The waitress refilled our coffee before setting a plate of lemon meringue pie in front of me.

"Did you order this?" I asked Ranger.

"Thought you wouldn't mind." He shrugged.

I cut into the pie and took a bite, I wasn't sure if this was one of my favorites or just something he chose for me on the spot but it was delicious and light, temptation incarnate. I closed my eyes to revel in the taste and I got a flash of Ranger's face.

 _Ranger and I were standing on the sidewalk looking at a sign that read The Blue Bird Luncheonette before we went through the door. The Blue Bird was approximately the size of a double-wide railroad car. There was a short counter with eight stools, a pastry display case and cash register. Booths stretched along the far wall. The linoleum was black-and-white checkerboard and the walls were bluebird blue. We took a booth and looked at the menu. There was the usual fare of burgers and tuna melts and pie on the menu. I ordered lemon meringue and Ranger ordered coffee, black._

 _"Excuse me?" I planted my palms down on the Formica tabletop. "Coffee? I thought we came here for_

 _pie."_

 _"I don't eat the kind of pie they serve here."_

 _I felt a flash of heat go through my stomach. I knew firsthand the kind of pie Ranger liked. The waitress stood with pencil poised over her pad. She was late fifties with bleached blond hair piled high on her head, heavily mascaraed eyes, perfectly arched crayoned-on eyebrows, and iridescent white lipstick. She had big boobs barely contained in a white T-shirt, her hips were slim in a black spandex miniskirt, and she was wearing black orthopedic shoes._

 _"Honey, we got all kinds of pie," she said to Ranger._

 _Ranger cut his eyes to her and she took a step backward. "But then maybe not," she said._

My jaw dropped as my eyes shot open. Luckily I had swallowed the piece of pie I had been chewing or it would have fallen out of my mouth. He looked alarmed when he saw my face and reached out for my free hand. When he touched me I felt the blush shoot through my cheeks.

"What's wrong Babe?" He looked concerned.

"You don't eat the kind of pie they serve here just like at the Blue Bird?" I asked.

Ranger chuckled. "Is that what you just remembered?"

I nodded but didn't speak.

"And did you remember what my favorite pie is?" He asked me.

I nodded but still couldn't find any words.

"Do you remember that conversation?" He asked.

I nodded.

"Do you remember when I enjoyed that particular dessert?" His voice made warm tingles spread throughout my body.

I shook my head no.

"Maybe I'll have to give you a demonstration later." He licked his lips.

Oh my God. I just about fainted right there. Somehow I don't think memories and fantasies would match up with the reality of being with Ranger. I wanted him bad, but I was trying to be careful. I was trying to stay in control. He pulled my hand to his lips and planted a gentle kiss on the top of my hand. I jerked when I felt his tongue dart out and lap my hand before the spot was covered by another quick kiss.

"What?" I was in shock.

"Lost control there for a second Babe. Won't happen again." He winked as he let go of my hand.

"Uhmm" I stammered as I took my hand back.

"Relax Babe. I'm not going to attack you." He smiled.

"Maybe I want you to." I teased.

"Playing with fire." He warned me.

We both laughed at our very public stalemate before I shoved more pie into my mouth. I managed to make it through dessert and even intercepted the waitress on the way to the table and paid the bill before she could even deliver it to Ranger. I was proud of myself for pulling one over on him and felt good about paying for one of his meals for a change.

"Now what?" I asked.

I was leaning against the car waiting for him to unlock the doors so we could head out to our original destination now that it was closer to our actual date time. A teasing look spread across his face as he leaned into me and kissed my neck. He rubbed his nose up and down my neck while his hands held my hips in place. I tilted my head to allow him more access and closed my eyes.

"Babe" he whispered in my ear before nipping at my lobe.

"Ranger" I let out a whispered moan.

"Mmm Steph." He pressed his hips forward. "I only have so much control."

"It was always like this with us?" I asked.

"Always. It's the animal magnetism." He pressed his lips against my neck.

He pulled away to look me in the eyes to give me one of his amazing smiles and I lost it. I reached out and curled my fingers tightly into his shirt and yanked him forward. Our teeth clashed together before our lips met. I pressed my hips up hard into him and I still couldn't get close enough. Ranger let out a low growl as he pulled away.

"Babe" He panted.

"Sorry." I released his shirt and smoothed the wrinkled material.

He leaned his forehead against mine and we both closed our eyes. He took a deep breath as he took a step back. He opened my door for me and gestured for me to get in. I gave him a quick peck on the lips as I settled into the smooth leather seat. Ranger closed the door and walked a bit slowly around the back of the car before he opened his own door and got behind the wheel.

"Did you hurt yourself?" I asked him.

"Nothing that can't be healed." He shook his head.

When he saw that I was still confused he glanced down at his lap. I followed his glance and had to stop myself from gasping at the sight of the rather large bulge in his pants. I knew from feeling him press against me he was well endowed in that department but seeing that bulge had a whole new excitement flowing through me.

"I keep having to remind myself I am trying to woo my wife otherwise I would take you to the nearest bed and keep you screaming for hours." He started the engine.

"Maybe that's a way to woo me." I shrugged.

His phone went off and Ranger answered it instead of usually dismissing it.

"Report"

"Interesting. Suspects?"

"Keep me posted."

He disconnected.

"What is it?" I asked.

"The Rug and his wife turned up dead in a cheap hotel room in California." He stated.

"Are they sure it's them?" I asked.

"Yes." He answered.

"Do they know who did it?" I inquired.

"No suspects at this time." He put the car in reverse.

"So, I'm safe now?" I checked.

"We still need to wait a day or two to make sure the hit is cancelled." He cautioned.

"You still don't want me to go back to my apartment." I suggested.

"No I don't." He turned onto the highway and pressed down on the gas.

We didn't say anything else as I watched the scenery whip past the windows. I was struggling because there was a part of me that wanted to go back to my own apartment. I wanted to see what memories would return from visiting my own place. I didn't want to be far apart from Ranger because there was still something that was pulling me to him and I always felt a bit off if I was too far from him. I also knew I hadn't yet had time to process all that had happened since we returned to Trenton and no matter how much I wanted to avoid it I would eventually have to talk to Morelli.

"The Sun National Bank Center." I read the sign as we exited.

"We're going to see a hockey game." He told me.

"Hockey? That sounds fun. I like Ice Hockey." I nodded.

He chuckled. "You are a Rangers' girl."

"Oh am I?" I teased.

"Yes you are. Tonight we're both going to be rooting for the Titans." He explained.

"The Titans?" I asked.

"The Trenton Titans. Minor League Ice Hockey." He pulled the car into a VIP section.

"I bet we're going to have good seats." I smirked.

"We are in a box but figured we would get here early so we can go by the glass and watch the warm up." He opened his door.

"Sounds fun." I told him once I was out of the car.

Ranger led me down to the glass and left me to watch the team practice so he could locate a friend and find out which box we would be sitting in. I watched the players from the opposing team glide across the ice working on patterns and repeating various shots into the goal. We had arrived pretty early and the arena was still mostly empty. I guess people didn't come early to watch the visiting team practice. I glanced down at my program. Tonight the Titans were playing against the Reading Royals from Reading, Pennsylvania.

"You better not be scouting for the enemy." A deep gravelly voice came from behind me.

I whipped my head around in surprise. "Luca."

"Stephanie Plum-Manoso." He beamed.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

He pointed out to the ice. "Zultek out there is my wife's brother."

"Wow. Small world." I told him.

"I assume all is well with you." He moved beside me.

"Everything's okay." I felt his shoulder brush against mine.

"That doesn't sound too great." He noticed.

"Ups and downs." I shrugged.

"You gonna be okay?" He asked.

"Yeah." I glanced around. "Is your wife here? I'd love to meet her."

He sighed. "Steph, my wife passed away three years ago."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I figured you were on a family vacation in Hawaii." I told him.

"No. I was there to scatter her ashes. We had our honeymoon there and that's where she wanted her ashes. It just took me some time before I was at a place where I was ready to let her go." He explained.

"I kind of messed up your time there." I said quietly.

"Nah, just made it more interesting. It was nice to focus on something else for a few hours. I may have embellished the story a bit when I told it to my daughter. I think she called me Superman for two whole days." He laughed.

He had such an infectious laugh I quickly found myself joining in. He playfully bumped his shoulder into mine. "Thanks for letting me play the hero."

"Anytime. So you have a daughter?" I was curious.

"Her name is Anna. She's five years old going on thirteen." He teased.

"Is she here?" I glanced around.

"It's a school night, she's with my mom." He explained.

"Ah." I nodded.

"Steph." Ranger called from behind me.

Luca and I both turned to see Ranger coming down the stairs smiling. His eyes cut to Luca and the smile quickly disappeared. He reached out one hand to Luca while he draped the other one over my shoulders. Luca extended his right hand and then the men shook.

"Good to see you again Ranger." Luca told him.

"I'm surprised to see you in Trenton." Ranger spoke next.

"My brother-in-law plays for the Royals." He shrugged.

"Oh, well then wish him the best." Ranger turned to me. "Come on Babe, let's go to our seats."

The whistle sounded and the Royals headed to the locker room as the Titans took to the ice. We moved to the stairs and was surprised to see how quickly the place had been filling up while I was focused on the ice and Luca. We heard a tap on the glass and turned around. There was a Titan player there tapping his stick to get our attention. He pointed our way and I looked behind me. I turned back to see him laughing as he beckoned me over.

I didn't recognize this guy at all. He had his helmet on so that wasn't helping in my mission to identify him. His eyes were bright blue and the hair across his forehead was dirty blonde. I estimated he was over six feet tall but couldn't be sure because of the skates. I moved closer to the glass and he slapped a puck in front of me. He pushed it over the glass with his stick and it fell right into my hands. I glanced down and saw the note.

Call me-609-585-8556

I laughed and looked up at the two men. Luca smiled and shook his head while Ranger's eyes were following the player. I checked the back of his jersey and saw it read 'Bertoli'.

"You know him?" Luca asked.

"If I do, I don't remember him." I squeezed the puck.

Ranger pulled the program from me and flipped through it. He found the page he was looking for and held it open to me. I glanced down at the handsome face of Scott Bertoli. It said he went to high school in Ontario, Canada and then played hockey while he attended Princeton University. I shrugged because I had nothing. I watched Luca pull out his phone and hit some buttons. His phone rang and he took the call.

"Matt. Yeah he just passed the puck over to a friend of mine."

"No, she's not my date."

"No, she's not going to do it."

"I am one hundred percent sure."

"You can bet double on it."

Luca laughed and then ended the call. I tilted my head and crossed my arms as I waited for his explanation. I felt Ranger's hand gently press into my lower back.

"This is too funny. Every game as soon as the Titans hit the ice Bertoli's teammates pick a puck bunny. They are like groupies. They must have assumed you were a Royals Puck Bunny." He laughed.

"That's ridiculous." I laughed.

"It gets better. The guys picked you. So he gives you his digits and if you don't call or text he will try to get to you at the meet and greet and then if he gets you to leave with him he wins the bet." Luca was still laughing.

"What's the bet?" I asked

"It's big. All the guys put in $10. Twenty players on each team. Once the guys see you they get to stay or double down." He explained.

"You told your brother-in-law to double down?" I asked.

"Yes, he will be betting $20 on you not going home with Bertoli." His voice was still laced with laughter.

"I wish we could get in on it." I joked.

I took a step and Ranger moved in behind me as we made our way up the wide cement steps. Once we stepped into the main walkway Ranger took my hand and led me up some stairs. We got onto the level that held the box seats and moved into a box labeled owners. Luca moved in behind us. I felt Ranger stiffen as I focused on the buffet table. There were all kinds of snack food including hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, pretzels and various candies. I went straight for the table and filled up a plate with a hot dog, some nachos and a hand full of candies. Then I grabbed a beer and took a seat. Ranger quickly moved in next to me. I watched Luca follow us into the box. He grabbed a beer and I smirked knowing he would be taking the seat on my other side.

"Small world indeed." He held up his bottle to toast me.

****************************************THANK YOU*******************************

Thank you Donna for leaving your name on your well thought out review.  
I am on fire and off of work all week so hope to post often with Jenn's help. Hope I don't make her crazy with all of the editing demands!


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15-

After the game Luca's brother-in-law Matt came up to meet us and Mr. Scott Bertoli was tagging along with him. Ranger hadn't said much during the game while Luca and I kept up a steady commentary. He did hold my hand when I was sitting and smiled when I jumped to my feet to complain about an unjust call. I got the distinct feeling that Ranger wasn't exactly a sports kind of guy so he was doing this solely for me. It was a tough game the whole way through with the Titans pulling out a last minute goal right before the buzzer. Bertoli was having a terrible night and had scored no goals at all which was very rare for him.

"I've been dying to know your name." He approached me.

"Stephanie. And yours?" I acted like I had no idea who he was.

"Scott Bertoli. I play for the Titans." He looked confused.

"Oh, sorry about the game." I teased.

"I'm sure you are." He winked.

I knew it bothered him that I was brushing him off and acting as if I didn't know who he was nor was I impressed after the introduction. I looked around the room like I was bored. I watched Ranger chatting with the team's owner but still keeping an eye on me. I found comfort and warmth at his attention. It was nice to know he was always aware of where I was. A smile teased at the corners of his mouth as he watched me talking to the cocksure playboy. Bertoli was no match for me, I knew Lester Santos and this man was no Lester Santos.

"I saw you earlier you know?" Bertoli flirted.

"Oh. You were the one who slipped me your puck." I purred.

"That sounds so dirty when you say it like that." His eyes were tight and focused.

"My husband likes when I talk dirty." I spoke with a flirty tone.

"Yeah, I didn't know you were married." He shrugged and leaned in close.

"Even if I did I would still want to puck you because you are so damn hot." He whispered near my ear.

"Puck me?" I raised an eyebrow.

"That's what they call it when I choose you. When I flipped you the puck it was laying claim to you. It's sending a message to the other players that I chose you." He smirked.

"It's like I'm your own personal Pikachu?" I batted my eyes.

He laughed. "Isn't Pikachu the cute little one who squeals out his own name?"

"Yes." I held out the 's' longer than needed..

"I bet I can have you squealing out my name instead." He waggled his eyebrows.

"I don't know. I wasn't really impressed with how you handled your stick today." I used my best sex kitten voice.

He sputtered out his drink. "What?"

"Yeah, you see I like a man who knows how to handle his stick. I watched you miss several shots and I have to say I was really disappointed you couldn't find the right spot to sink it in." I bit my lower lip.

"Uhmm." He stuttered as a blush crept across his cheeks.

"Your stick is a pretty decent length but it really lacks in girth. It seemed like you had trouble getting a good grip on it so you could control it better. It was just so sad to watch you try time and time again to get it to work and failing. So disappointing." I shook my head.

"There is nothing wrong with my stick." Bertoli argued.

Luca's brother-in-law joined us. "Sorry to hear about your issues."

"What issues?" Bertoli glared at him.

"You weren't able to get it in tonight. I know you're not used to going scoreless but some games require better stick work." Matt shrugged.

Bertoli froze. He looked at me, Matt, Luca, Ranger and everyone else watching all of this. He turned back at me glaring. He bit down on his lip, rolled his eyes and then burst out laughing. Everyone quickly joined in.

"I can't believe you got me." Bertoli shook his head.

"Well, you didn't have a chance with me so I thought I would have a little fun at your expense." I told him.

"Yeah, well mission accomplished. I need a drink." He turned and headed for the bar.

"That was pretty freaking cool." Matt smiled at me. "It's not often I get the joy of watching him get rejected."

"Hope you won some good money" I returned his smile.

"Yes ma'am. It's Matt Zultek by the way." He held out his hand.

"Stephanie Manoso." I gave his hand a shake.

"You're Luca's friend?" He asked.

"Yes, he saved my life actually." I admitted.

"Doesn't surprise me." Matt smiled.

"He's a good man." I told Matt as I sent a smile to Luca.

"There's not a lot of good men left in this world." He glanced between Luca and myself.

We said our goodbyes but not before Luca added his number to my phone. He was worried I might have lost the card he had given me in Hawaii. He wanted to meet up sometime next week for lunch in the city. Ranger took my hand as he led me out to the car. After we were both securely in our seats with our seatbelts on he started the car and turned to me.

"What do you want to do now? Dancing? A nice walk? Dessert? Movie?" He offered.

"How about some ice cream and a movie at home." I realized my mistake right away. "I mean your apartment."

"Babe" He grabbed my hand and held it in his as he sped out of the lot.

He got a text on the way back to his place telling him my apartment had been broken into and ransacked. I considered going over to check it out but we decided that it could wait until morning. Besides I knew Rangemen had already secured the scene.

"I can't decide." I raised both of my hands with my palms up.

"Okay, let me narrow it down. Diehard or Goodfellas?" Ranger asked.

I was sitting on his couch with my feet curled up beside me as I contemplated which movie we should watch. I was currently enjoying the new Truffle Kerfluffle Ben and Jerry's ice cream Ranger had stopped to get on the way home. I took another bite and turned the spoon over in my mouth and licked it clean as I pondered our choices.

"Goodfellas." I told him "It sounds nicer."

Ranger laughed. "Good choice."

He selected the movie from some on-line screen choices and then used the same remote control to turn off the lights. I held out my ice cream carton and gave him a pouty lip. He shook his head but took it from me and put it in the freezer. As soon as he settled next to me on the couch his arm wrapped around my shoulders and I leaned into him. He turned his head to kiss the top of mine and I sighed in contentment.

"I've always had to worry about the men that are attracted to you." He spoke into my hair.

"Oh really? Why worry?" I asked.

"Usually they turn out to be stalkers or serial killers." He chuckled.

"Are you saying I can't find a normal guy?" I pulled away to look up at him.

"Babe, a normal guy couldn't handle you." He leaned in and gave me a chaste kiss.

I bit into my lower lip and tilted my head as I studied his face. He was a gorgeous man. His features were very masculine and obviously striking. I imagined he could get any woman he wanted to drop their panties with just a glance. He had full, soft and kissable lips that just begged to be touched and tasted. I leaned in and returned the kiss. When I pulled back I focused on his dark brown almond shaped eyes. You could only notice the flecks of gold around his pupils if he chose to show you his relaxed face. From what I knew of him it seemed to be a privilege when he allowed you to see this side of him. If he wore his blank intimidating face his eyes were so menacing his pupils hid the softness. Right now his eyes were hooded and slowly dilating as they focused on my lips.

"You are so beautiful." He held my gaze.

He reached out and wrapped his long fingers around a strand of my hair. He wrapped the loose curl around his fingers and played with it before tucking it behind my ear. He kept his hand at the side of y face and stroked his thumb over my cheekbone. He closed his eyes and released a sigh as he pulled his hand away from me and placed it on the back of my head. He gently guided my head to his chest with a resigned breath. Apparently I fell asleep sometime after one of the characters was asking the other how funny he was.

"Babe" Ranger gently shook me.

"Tired." I mumbled.

"I'm going to move you to the bed where you can stretch out." He told me.

"K" I smiled.

I felt his strong arms slide under my knees and lift me from the couch. I wrapped my arms around his neck and nuzzled against him.

"Mmm you smell so good." I told him.

He chuckled but didn't respond. He laid me down on the bed and disappeared. He was back in seconds and pulled me into a sitting position. I felt his hands at the hem of my shirt as he guided it over my head. I buried my sleepy head against his chest as he unclasped my bra and then maneuvered me as he slid a big soft t-shirt over my head. It didn't occur to me to be self conscious about being half naked in front of him when I was so exhausted. He gently guided me onto my back as he removed my jeans. His hands went under my arms and he pulled me up until my head was on the pillow and covered me in the amazingly soft perfect sheets.

I woke up on top of a furnace and snuggled in close. I moved my hand up and down the hot smooth skin. Skin? I cracked my eyes open and realized I was stroking Ranger's strong chest. I stopped for a moment and then quickly decided I didn't want to stop. I guided my hand down to his abdomen and stroked the defined muscles there. My lips found his shoulder and I pressed a light kiss to his hot skin. I moved my hand lower and was surprised when Ranger's hand wrapped around my wrist.

"Playing with fire Babe." He cautioned me.

"I'm not afraid." I told him.

He used the arm around my shoulder and the hand on my wrist to pull me all the way on top of him. I moved to lean away from him but he wrapped me tightly in his arms and tilted his hips up. I moaned out when I felt his hardness rub against my core. The only thing between us was the silk of my panties because he had been sleeping in the nude. He attacked my neck with nips and kisses and then suddenly pushed me up to a sitting position.

"Are you sure you want this Babe?" He asked.

"I want you." I told him.

"I don't want to take advantage of you." He rubbed his big hands up and down my thighs.

"You're my husband. That means it's not taking advantage. Besides I think we've waited long enough." I smiled.

******************************************SMUT*************************************

His eyes flashed wide as the look of pride swept across his face. His hands were so fast my shirt was off before my arms were even raised in the air. He pulled me down onto him and I relished in the feel of skin against skin. His lips took mine while his hands flew to my hips to tackle the removal of my damp panties. With nothing between us I bucked my hips towards him and rubbed my hot, wet, sex up and down his shaft. His strong hands splayed across my back and his mouth was on my neck.

"I need to be inside of you." His breath was hot on my ear.

"Is this how it always is?" I asked him.

"Every time with you is better than the last." His voice dripped with desire.

I slid to the top and then stopped while I reached behind me and guided his thick long member to my opening. I pushed back slowly until he was completely sheathed inside of me. I threw my head back, my eyes closed and my mouth open to release every moan and groan I felt.

"I don't wanna be quiet." I told him.

"It's my apartment. No one is up here you can be as loud as you want." Ranger encouraged me.

His hands flew to my hips and he held me in place while he drove his hips up into me. I cried out at the pleasure of feeling him so deep inside of me. I rose up off him, and then slammed back down on him as he pushed up into me, then I rose up again. Our pace increased as the pleasure flowed through my body.

"Ranger." I moaned out.

"Call me Carlos." He demanded.

"Carlos." I bit down on my lip.

He flipped me onto my back and grabbed my calf. He set my leg over his shoulder before he began a mind-numbing pace. He was pounding into me and it was euphoria. Every stroke had me panting with pleasure. I reached for his lower back, his ass, whatever I could grab and dug my nails into him. His back arched and he pressed in deeper with each stroke.

"Yes. Yes Carlos. Yes." I couldn't contain myself from calling out.

"Stephanie" He moaned.

His hand cupped my breast and he massaged it before tugging on my hard nipple. His hand moved down my chest and past my belly. He settled on the engorged nub that was hungry for his touch. It seemed like he barely applied any pressure before I exploded. The sheer force of my orgasm felt like it would have shot me off of the bed if he didn't have me pinned down with his weight on me.

"Oh my God." I breathed out.

"Babe" He groaned as he emptied himself inside of me.

*****************************************END SMUT*********************

"Oh Shit!" I exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" He pulled back.

"Condom?" My brows furrowed.

" _There's all kinds of love." I heard my voice._

" _This is the kind that doesn't come with a ring, but a condom would come in handy." It was Ranger._

"What did you say?" I asked him confused.

"You're on the shot." He informed me as he dropped his head back down onto my chest.

I shook my head at the flash of memory. He planted kisses on my cheek and across my face. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation of his lips sweeping across my face.

"Babe are you ready for me to show you the kind of pie I like to eat?" Ranger asked me, but my memories took me away.

 _I saw him in my kitchen eating a chocolate chip cookie. I was leaning against the counter and he leaned into me. He kissed me senseless. I would have melted down to the floor if he wasn't holding me in his arms._

" _Pay-up time. I'm collecting on the debt." He whispered against my lips._

 _He grabbed my hand and pulled me through the living room. I tried to argue with him about missing a movie, but there wasn't any real argument behind my words. Then I was on the bed naked and he was inside of me. We were wild with passion. Smashing teeth, biting lips, hands everywhere. It was like the last few months had all been foreplay leading up to this moment and neither of us could wait one second longer to be together. It was fast, furious and full of passion. I couldn't believe how quickly he was able to drive me over the edge. When we had both finished he pulled me up in the bed and wrapped me in his arms. He held me while our breathing and our heart beats returned to normal._

 _***************************SMUT**************************************_

 _Finally he ran his hand down the length of my body. "It's time." He said._

" _Now what?" I asked._

" _You didn't think the debt would be paid that easily, did you? Remember the bet was for one night. That means all night."_

" _Uh-oh is this the part with the handcuffs?"_

" _I don't need handcuffs to enslave a woman." Ranger said as he kissed my shoulder._

 _He kissed me lightly on my lips. I let out a low moan as his lips trailed kisses down the right side of my neck. His hand moved to massage my hip before he gently guided me onto my back as he moved over me. I kept my eyes closed as I savored the moment. I allowed my senses to feel every touch and tingle. He leaned down and kissed his way back up the other side of my neck. His kisses moved to my cheek and followed to my lips. I gasped as he pushed his tongue into my mouth and gripped each side of my face. He knew exactly how to touch me._

 _When he broke from the kiss he nipped at my bottom lip before pulling away from me. He wasn't gone for long when his lips and hands settled on my breasts. I turned my head to the side as I felt his tongue against my hot skin. He moved to my already erect nipple and circled it, while his hand worked the other one. He covered my aching nipple with his mouth as I felt his teeth scrape me. He bit down hard and I arched up. His teeth released me as he soothed me by pulling my nipple into his mouth and gently sucking. He moved across my chest and paid the same attention to the other breast while his hand caressed the one his mouth just released. He slid down my body. I opened my legs to allow him room and immediately shivered when I felt his hardness press against my wet center. I wanted him bad._

 _He resumed his wet open mouth kisses down my belly as he scooted back in the bed. He trailed his kisses to the side and kissed each hip before he moved exactly where I wanted him. He kissed up and down my sex before using his fingers to open me up so he could press his tongue against the swollen bundle of nerves that craved his touch. My hips rose up into his mouth while his tongue stroked me. I felt one of his thick fingers enter me and I moaned out. He liked the sound of my moan because he increased the pressure of his tongue and added a second finger._

 _I moved my hands to his head and began stroking my fingers through his hair. His lips wrapped around my throbbing nub as my hips shot up from the bed. My hands gripped his hair and I felt the vibration of his own moan against me. That was all it took for me to tumble over the edge. The sensations rocked through me. I chanted his name over and over. He worked me until I was so sensitive I was wiggling to escape his touch. He chuckled as he pulled away and slid back up my body._

 _He pressed his lips into mine and I wasn't repelled by my taste on him, I felt more turned on than ever. My hands stroked his back and I pressed against him, encouraging him. He reached down under one knee and moved my leg up as I felt his thick head press against my opening. Unlike our first experience tonight this time he was slow as he entered me inch by inch. He was so much bigger than I was used to and I cried out in a mix of pain and pleasure once he was fully seated deep inside of me. He waited as my body stretched to accommodate him. His hand stroked my cheek as he pressed gentle kisses up my neck._

 _Before I could encourage him further he began to slowly pull back before sliding into home again. Over and over he slowly stroked his long thick shaft in and out of my hot wet core. I arched my back as he bit down into the sensitive pulse point at the bottom of my neck where it met my collarbone._

" _Yes." I hissed._

 _His hands gripped my hips as he increased his pace. It was so different from the frantic pace he took me with the first time we were in my bed. The warmth slowly moved through my body as I felt myself tighten. His head tilted up and my eyes watched him reel back in pleasure._

" _Babe" it was just barely above a whisper._

 _His pace increased again as he pushed my leg closer to my chest. I whimpered at the feeling, I was so close. It had been a long time since I felt an orgasm just from sex without extra stimulation. He pressed more of his weight into me and I lifted to grind myself against him. He released a low breathy groan as he again quickened his pace._

" _Don't stop." I begged._

 _He moved faster again and I gripped his shoulders. I met each thrust as my body exploded underneath him._

" _Oh! My! God!Ranger!" I screamed sounding out each word slowly._

 _He pounded into me as his hard member drove me through my intense pleasure. He looked down into my eyes and quickly covered my lips with his. His tongue darted into my mouth as he pressed down hard against me. His strokes became short and fast as he attacked my mouth. He moaned into my open mouth as he pressed deep inside of me. I felt him explode, his shaft pulsating deep within my womb._

 _He pushed into me again as he emptied himself filling me up. His mouth pulled away from mine and he buried his face into the side of my neck. My hands went back to stroking his hair as I tried to catch my breath. He muttered my name and pulled back. He smiled at me and gave me two quick kisses before rolling onto his back. He pulled me with him and I plastered myself to his side. I closed my eyes as he stroked my back._

 _***************************END SMUT*******************_

 _I woke up to the sound of the alarm on Ranger's watch. I glanced at the clock on my nightstand. He checked his phone and then got out of the bed._

" _I have to go Babe." He dressed quickly and left._

My eyes shot open and the memory disappeared. Ranger was hovering above me as a tear slid down my face. He brushed it away, his eyes full of concern.

"What is it Babe? What's wrong?" he asked.

"You left me. You fucked me and left me." I pushed him off me and rolled out of the bed.

"I'm right here Steph. I didn't leave." He sat up.

"Before, in my apartment. You said it was pay up time." I found the t-shirt on the floor and pulled it over my head.

"No, you don't understand." He told me.

"I don't understand? We had the best sex of my life and then you just walked away like it was nothing to you." I was flinging around my hands as I spoke.

"You don't understand Babe. We need to talk about this. I haven't gotten a chance to explain, it's not how it seems." I could see the fear in his eyes.

"Yes. I saw it. It's exactly how it seems." I let the anger over take the sadness.

"It was business. I had to go. That's my life. I warned you." He explained.

"You warned me? You warned me you would screw me and walk away from my bed like I was nothing? You just left Ranger." I shook my head. "Then the whole fix it with Morelli crap I remembered in Hawaii. How could you do that to me?"

"You don't understand. I didn't do relationships. I never have before. I get my physical release and then I am gone." He moved towards me.

I held up my hand to stop him. "Physical release? That's what I was to you? A physical release?"

"I made a deal with you to have sex." He chuckled. "It was the only way to get you in bed without your catholic guilt. I thought once we got rid of the tension everything would ease up between us and we could be friends."

"But that didn't happen. Friends don't act like you did. I was just a physical release." I went to the bathroom and tried to slam the door.

"No, that's what I'm trying to explain to you. I don't sleep over Steph. I leave in the middle of the night. I don't call, I don't hang out. I leave as soon as I'm done." He held his hand against the door keeping it opened.

"Like you left me." I stated.

"Damn it. No. I slept over. I stayed with you. I didn't want to leave. I wanted to be with you. Sleeping with you, making love to you, it didn't get you out of my system. It bonded me closer to you. By morning I wanted you even more." He elaborated.

"Of course. We are obviously compatible physically." I gave up on closing the door and started the shower.

"That's not all." He shook his head.

"Why did you marry me?" I asked.

"I told you, we were there, it just happened." He shrugged.

"Bullshit." I glared. "It just happened. Please. You just happened to take me to a vow renewal ceremony and we just happened to decide that we wanted to get married for real, and we just happened to say 'I do'. That makes no sense."

"We got caught up in the moment." He tried.

"I don't believe you." I shook my head.

"I love you." He told me.

"In your own way." I clarified. "What is that exactly? You love me as a friend? A booty call? What is the great Ranger Manoso's way to love?"

"No, none of those. I love you in every way." He answered.

"With the small percent of your heart you can give me?" I asked.

 _A vision in my head. Ranger and I in his Porsche._

" _You have thirty percent of the cop." He told me._

" _Why only thirty percent?" I asked._

" _Because that's all he can give." He told me._

" _How much can you give?" I asked._

 _Then my grandmother stepped out onto the porch and called out._

" _Is that Ranger with you?"_

I opened my eyes _._

"How much?" I asked Ranger.

"What?" He was confused.

"You told me once I had thirty percent of Morelli because that's all he could give. How much can you give? There's no one here to save you from your answer now." I warned him.

He hesitated and I shook my head. "Don't bother. I'll save you from answering."

I turned my back on him, dropped the t-shirt on the floor and got into the shower.

"Stephanie, I'll give you all that I am capable of. " He spoke over the sound of the water.

I ignored him as I rubbed the shampoo in my hair. So the first time we ever slept together was because of a deal he made me to get into my bed. Morelli and I have been off and on for a couple of years and the whole time I am occasionally screwing Ranger who is constantly telling me to go back to Morelli and he's no good for me. So why did he marry me in Hawaii and why is he trying to keep our marriage? Why not get an annulment or a divorce?

"Why are we still married?" I hollered out to him as I began soaping up my body. I made sure I washed all of him off of me.

"Because I love you." He sounded frustrated.

I stood under the spray, rinsing all of the soap off my body. Then I rinsed the conditioner out of my hair and squeezed out the excess water before I turned off the shower.

"Did you hear me?" Ranger asked as he handed me a towel that I quickly wrapped around myself.

"Oh, I'm sorry I was waiting for the rest of it." I gave him a mean smile.

"Rest of what?" He raised a hand palm up in confusion.

"I'm waiting for the 'I love you but'…." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm done with that." He stepped towards me but I held up my hand to stop him.

"Let me see if I understand. You have said you never lied to me; so answer my questions." I demanded.

"Done." He nodded.

I took another towel, dried my hair and headed towards the closet.

"The first time we slept together was a deal because you wanted to get rid of the sexual tension?" I clarified.

"Yes." He agreed.

"Then you walked out on me and told me to fix things with Morelli?" I suggested.

"Yes but I slept over, I stayed the night. I didn't want to leave you. It scared the crap out of me. It didn't get rid of the sexual tension, it brought us closer." He argued.

"Then the next couple of years we played around. Kissing in alleys, screwing occasionally. Staying at each other's place when it was convenient for cases. Helpful for protection." I slid on panties and a bra under my towel.

"You make it sound like it was nothing." He shook his head.

"Then tell me what it was because all I remember is you telling me over and over that you weren't marriage material and you didn't do relationships." I glared at him as I shimmied into a pair of jeans and finally dropped my towel.

An image of Ranger flashed in my head.

" _If I gave you a pity position, it wouldn't be in my office." He was leaning against his car._

" _You would have to leave my bed eventually." He told me while standing in his apartment._

" _My life doesn't lend itself to relationships." He shook his head as he stood in my bedroom._

" _Morelli loves you and he's a good guy." He was inside his car with a hand in my hair._

" _It's not going to work. I'm not built for relationships and the whole happily ever after. It's not gonna happen for me." He was sitting in his office._

"Babe" His hands were on my arms when my eyes opened.

"Don't touch me." I pulled away.

"Steph, we just had a great night. Don't be mad at me when you can't remember our whole history. Stay and let's talk this out." He stepped back.

"Yeah, until you decide to leave me again. Until you find a new physical release." I pulled on a shirt and looked around the closet. I couldn't focus while he was naked so I threw a pair of boxer shorts at him.

"I told you things changed in Hawaii." He huffed out as he caught the boxers I threw at him.

I found a bag on the floor, in the back of the closet and started throwing in jeans and shirts and underwear. I didn't know where I was going to go but I needed to get away from him. I was so confused. I was wrapped up in all of these memories and didn't see how his attitude about me, about marriage could change so suddenly.

"Things changed? Overnight? Over a week? In six days things changed, yet for years you've been pushing me away except when you wanted me for sex. Don't give me the I love you crap. If things changed because you loved me then why didn't they change sooner? You loved me all of this time but it wasn't enough until recently to make a commitment to me. You go from 'I don't do relationships' to 'I do' in the course of a week?" I fought the angry tears that hovered just at the edge.

"That's not how it was. Damn it Stephanie! I have always loved you. I loved you from the beginning. I was doing what I thought was best for you. I thought you wanted the Burg life of getting married and having kids. You said you didn't want it but I figured eventually you would." He followed me out of the closet.

"You pushed me away because you didn't want the wedding or the happily ever after. So tell me Ranger, just why in the fuck did you marry me?" I screamed. I grabbed the bag, my shoes and socks and stormed past him to the living room.

"I told you I love you." He was frustrated as he followed me.

"Apparently you've loved me all along so what changed?" I sat down on the couch and pulled on my socks.

"I was wrong. I was wrong about not wanting a commitment with you. I was wrong about not wanting a future with you, about not wanting you in my life." He sat on the coffee table across from me.

"So you lied to me?" I pulled on a sneaker.

"I lied to myself. I thought I could stay away from you. I thought Morelli could give you what you wanted. I thought I didn't need you. I was wrong." His hands were clasped together and shook up and down as he spoke.

"So let me get this straight." I rose to my feet. "After years of telling me no relationship, no commitment, no marriage you suddenly, one afternoon, changed your mind to yes and married me. Now I am supposed to swoon and drop at your feet and thank you for finally giving us a chance? Then what? In a couple of days, or weeks or years you'll suddenly remember you don't do relationships and change your mind to 'No' again?"

"No, I'm never going to change my mind." He said emphatically.

He was on his feet scrubbing his hands over his face. He moved behind me as I shuffled towards the door.

"Babe, where are you going?" He asked me.

"I don't know, I just have to get out of here. I need time. I need space." I told him.

I grabbed my purse from the sideboard and opened the coat closet. I dug around until I found what was apparently my jacket. I pulled it on while Ranger reached into the closet. He pulled out a blue scarf and tossed it over my head. He tied it around my neck and rested his hands on my shoulders. I stepped away and turned my back towards him as I set my sights on the front door.

"If you could just remember our time in Hawaii. If you could just remember how everything changed. How you gave me a chance and I proved myself to you. How it felt when we were on the beach exchanging rings." His voice was choked. "Stephanie, you need to stay and give yourself time to remember."

I froze and whirled on him. I dropped the bag and lifted my left hand. I bit down hard on my lower lip and grasped the rings in between my fingers. My hands were trembling and I dare not say a word or I would lose my battle against the sobs I was fighting back.

"Please don't Steph. Please, I know you're angry. I know you need to get away from me. I know you're hurt. But please don't take off those rings. You don't know how much they really mean not just to me but also to you. When you remember it will break your heart to know you took them off. Please." He begged.

I sighed and looked at him. I glared at him as I felt the tears pool in my eyes. I closed my eyes and fought to control myself. I refused to break down in front of him.

"Fine." I spat out.

I grabbed the bag and went out the door. I skipped the elevator and went straight to the stairs. I felt the tears streaming down my face. I couldn't stay in this building. I couldn't go to Morelli's house and it wasn't safe enough for me to go to my apartment. I didn't trust Lula or Connie and Mary Lou was busy with her kids. No way was I going to contact Morelli's mom or a cousin I had been told I had on the police force.

There was no way I was going to my parent's house and listen to my mother nag and berate me. To have her cook dinner and invite Morelli over and try to convince me I should marry him. I emerged from the stairwell and found myself in the lobby. I walked past the front desk and didn't even look to see if I recognized who was manning the desk. Once I reached the sidewalk I realized I had no car. I was once again completely dependent on Ranger.

I had nowhere to go and no one to turn to that was not connected to Ranger or Morelli. I could stay at a hotel but not for very long with what was available in my bank account. The bank put that check on hold for seven business days or until it cleared, so that money wasn't available to me yet. I still needed a car to get anywhere. Then it hit me and I knew exactly who to call. I pulled out my phone and searched for the contact before I pressed the button to place the call.

"Hello" Answered the happy voice.

"Luca?" I asked.

"Stephanie?" He replied.

"Uhm…well…I need help." I admitted.

"Police help? Like you should be calling 911 help?" He sounded nervous.

"Uhm..no…like need a friend help. Need a ride to a safe hotel help. Need someone who doesn't care if I can't remember my life or my past help." I sat down onto the curb.

"Where are you?" He asked.

"I'm outside the Rangeman security building. I didn't know if you had someone close, a friend who lives in the area or maybe your brother-in-law?" I suggested.

"I haven't left Trenton yet. I was actually staying at the hotel with my brother-in-law. What's the address there?" He asked me.

I turned around and read him the numbers off of the building. I could hear him typing on his phone.

"I'm not far away from you. I'll be there in ten." He informed me.

"No, I don't want to inconvenience…" I worried.

"Stay put. I'll be there in ten." He ordered before he disconnected.

************************************THANK YOU*********************************

I am so excited about this story I am constantly sneaking in time to write. Thanks to Jenn for kicking butt in getting my stuff back to me as she pushes out her own chapters for her great story.  
Thank you so very much for your reviews and messages. I do treasure each one and I am sometimes swayed by your suggestions. This story is not preplanned it flows as it goes.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16-

"Did you tell anyone where you were going?" Luca asked me as he turned onto the Turnpike.

"No." I sighed.

"Don't you think you should?" He questioned. "You have a lot of large muscle-bound men that will be very worried if you just disappear. They didn't take such good care of you in Hawaii for you to just ride away with someone you hardly know."

I glared at him and rolled my eyes like a child. I did plan on telling Hector or one of the guys but I wasn't done stewing yet. I was still wallowing in my anger.

"I know you. You saved my life. You wouldn't hurt me."

"I know that and you know that, but they don't necessarily know that." He stated definitively.

I already missed Ranger and I had only been in the car for fifteen minutes. I was grateful that Luca had not asked me any questions about why I needed to escape.

"Where are we going?" I asked him.

"I need to get home to take care of my daughter, after that I will help you figure something out." He assured me.

"Okay." I agreed.

I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Hector.

 **Hermano- I needed to get away. I am with Luca. Will call when I can.-** _ **Stephanie**_

I sent the text and then my phone rang. I hit ignore before I sent another text.

 **I don't want to talk about it right now.-** _ **Stephanie**_

 **Your purse has a tracker and panic button. Be smart.-** _ **Hector**_

 **I will keep in touch and keep the purse close-** _ **Stephanie**_

 **Te Amo Estephania Anything you need just call-** _ **Hector**_

 **Thanks -** _ **Stephanie**_

"I told Hector I am with you. He says there is a tracker and a panic button in my purse." I informed Luca.

"Good. You might want to call Ranger too." Luca suggested.

"I'm not ready for that." I slumped back into the seat.

"Then at least send him a text." Luca ordered.

"Really?" I glared at him.

"Stephanie." Luca warned.

"What?" I knew my voice sounded cruel.

"Life is short and you never know what's going to happen. If we get run over by a semi ask yourself if you would be happy with the last words you spoke to him." Luca offered.

I stared straight ahead and did nothing. Luca leaned over and turned on the radio. I wondered what the last thing he said to his wife was. I tried to remember what the last thing I said to Ranger was. I didn't remember but I'm sure it wasn't nice. I didn't want to call him because I knew hearing his voice would make me cry. I was just now coming down from my anger high and all that was left was raw emotion. The wrong word or tone of voice and I would be reduced to tears. Luca was right though, I didn't want to leave it like this. Words swam inside my head and I couldn't figure out exactly how to say leave me the fuck alone but don't forget about me please. I finally just decided to keep it short and to the point.

 **I need space but I still love you. –** _ **Stephanie**_

I held the phone in my hand and watched the cars go by. I could see the New York City skyline ahead. I was just starting to close my eyes when I felt my phone vibrate.

 **I love you. I miss you. –** _ **Ranger**_

I expected it to be long. I expected the text to be full of explanations or maybe asking for the promise of my return. But this? This was perfect. It was just what I needed to hear. I missed him too and a huge part of me wanted to run right back into his arms but right now I was angry and I was hurting. The rising sun was blinding through the morning smog and staring straight ahead into it was going to give me a headache. I dropped the phone into my purse and leaned my head back as I set my focus to the cars in the lanes to my right.

He says he has always loved me, but he tricked me into bed with a stupid 'deal'. He made love to me all night and from my memories it was one of the best nights of my life. Then in the morning he just pops up out of bed, dresses and leaves without a glance backward or word goodbye. He left in a hurry like he was the rabbit being chased around the track with twelve crazed greyhounds after him. Later he told me to repair my relationship with Morelli. Who does that to someone they say they love?

Why did he do that to me? He said he didn't do relationships. He said he didn't use to spend the night, but with me he did. He said it was just a physical release like it meant nothing to him. I had no other memories of us being together sexually but this morning was amazing. In my memories it was amazing. Hawaii must have been amazing. So, we were staying together in that tropical paradise, having amazing sex and somehow it happened to turn into a relationship? We just happened to get married?

Since I woke up without my memories he has been sweet and nice and taken good care of me. Given me space to remember. But our total time together: my recovery time with the marriage time, has been a total of two weeks. All my memories from the past three years are that he is the love 'em and leave 'em kind of man. Sleep with them and walk out the door. Hang around in the outskirts of my life but never being in it, always with his words pushing me away. If I'm honest, with myself, I love him desperately, and I want whatever this is to be true. It will destroy me to wake up one day and have him walk out on me again or tell me to go have a relationship with someone else. I can't let my heart or head get any more entangled with his until I can truly understand what's going on.

The next thing I knew Luca was parking the car. I glanced at the house as he pulled his midnight blue four-door Chrysler to the curb. It was a brick faced two story brownstone. There were two large windows separating his front porch from the neighbors'. A short iron fence framed the postage stamp front of his yard while the tall steps led up to a tiny porch that held potted plants and two metal patio chairs. I glanced up the stairs at the wooden double doors framed by an oversized brown wooden frame and topped off with a half-moon shaped frosted window.

"I really can't thank you enough." I told Luca as I reclaimed my navy-blue gym bag from the back seat.

"I don't know if you'll still be thanking me when you meet my mom." He warned me.

"She can't be as bad as mine." I mumbled under my breath.

"Wow this is a nice house." I told him as I shut the car door.

"It took me forever to get transferred out of Manhattan to work in Brooklyn. I bought this house right after my wife passed away. I needed to get out of the city." He explained as he took my bag from my hands.

"It's really nice." I spoke softly.

I followed him up the stairs and he pushed open the door. Luca had only taken a few steps inside when a ball of energy and brown hair ran towards him calling out "Daddy!" I smiled as he bent to gather her into his arms. A tall thin woman followed behind the mini Tasmanian devil. The woman wore a pixie cut and a pale green pantsuit. She stopped when she saw me and looked me up and down. She seemed to be sizing me up but I couldn't tell if she made a decision about me by the expression on her face. She wore a look in between curious and suspicious. Luca shifted his daughter to his hip and leaned in, moved towards the woman who I presumed was his mother, and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Nice to see you mom. Thanks for taking such good care of Anna." He paused and glanced my way. "I'd like you to meet my friend Stephanie. Marie Romano this is Stephanie Plum-Manoso."

"It's nice to meet you." The woman smiled and stepped towards me with her hand extended.

"Nice to meet you." I relaxed as I shook her soft warm hand.

"How do you know each other?" Marie asked me.

"She's a big hockey fan." Luca teased.

"I need more details than that." She rolled her eyes at her son.

"Don't you have an appointment?" He reminded her.

"You're right!" She exclaimed before turning to me. "I hate to run but I have a hair appointment at 11:00."

"I'm sure we can catch up another time." I added a quick smile.

"So there will be a second date?" Marie turned to Luca.

"This is not a first date. I told you we are friends." Luca corrected her.

"We'll see." She smiled at us both.

"All okay last night?" He asked her.

"Yeah, everything was fine. I do have to run. Listen, I let Anna stay home because she was missing you. It's Friday anyway." Marie shrugged.

The woman grabbed her purse and kissed the little girl on her head before kissing her son's cheek. She gave me a quick finger wave and closed the door behind her. Luca gave me a smile and a shrug. The little girl turned and settled her eyes on me. She tilted her head as if she was studying me.

"You have pretty eyes." Her voice was soft.

"Thank you. I like your eyes too." I smiled.

She looked like the female version of her father. She had his same deep set emerald eyes surrounded by impossibly long eyelashes. She had his warm chestnut colored hair yet it was curly like mine. Her hair was long down to the center of her back and was currently styled in a low pony tail with loose curls hanging here and there. Her lips were tiny and pink and she was adorable.

"Anna, this is my friend Stephanie. She is going to be staying with us for a little while." He told his daughter.

"Oh no, I couldn't" I shook my head. "I can go to a hotel. I can go…."

"I'll move my Barbies off of the guest bed." Anna told me.

"It's not that. I just don't want to impose." I told her.

She turned her head to look at her father and then turned her sparkling eyes back to me and smiled. She wiggled in Luca's arms and he set her down onto the floor. She was wearing pink leggings and a yellow shirt with a princess on the front.

"Are you coming with us to Coney Island tomorrow? We are going on the ferris wheel, it's called the Wonder Wheel. It's famous." She told me.

"Coney Island?" I turned to Luca.

"We try to make it once more every fall before it gets too cold. It's supposed to be in the high 70's this weekend and I promised Anna before I left. You are more than welcome to come." Luca told me.

"I don't want to impose on your time." He motioned for me to follow him.

"Impose. I don't like that word. You have to come." Anna skipped behind me.

I followed him up the stairs as we moved down a skinny hallway with open doors. We passed a bathroom on the right, pausing briefly for me to see it had a shower with a tub and was painted a light lilac.

"Bathroom." He motioned.

"This is where you'll be." He pointed to the room on the left.

It was a bright and cheery room painted sky blue. It held a dresser, a desk with a chair and a Queen sized bed. Anna scurried around me and gathered up the pile of Barbies from the bed while Luca set my bag down. He tugged me out of the room and motioned to the open door diagonal from my room.

"My room. There's a second bathroom in here you can use if Anna is using the other one. I have big plans to install a bathroom downstairs but for now we have just the two. " He announced.

I looked inside to see a King sized bed, a dresser and a nightstand on each side. There was a chest with a cushion for a seat at the end of the bed.

"I'm sure it will be fine." I smiled as the little girl grabbed my hand.

"Now my room." Anna tugged me out of the bedroom.

Anna's room was across the hall next to my room. She pulled me inside and I was immediately immersed in a pink paradise. The bed had a Hello Kitty comforter and matching pink curtains on the wall. There was a Barbie dream house in the corner of the room where she was currently dropping off her handful of Barbies.

"What do you think?" She asked.

"It's very pink." I told her.

"That's my favorite color." She skipped around her bed.

"It looks nice." I watched her pull something out of a chest.

"What's your favorite color?" She asked me.

"I don't remember." I told her.

"How can you not remember your favorite color?" She was confused.

"You don't have to remember your favorite color Steph. That's something that changes all the time. You can choose a new one." Luca explained.

I shrugged. "I guess if I had to pick I would say sky blue."

"Like your eyes." Anna beamed.

She made her way over to me and held out a crown. I reached out my hand but she shook her head no. I bent down and she shoved it on the top of my head. I tried not to wince when the hair comb brushed my scalp. I straightened up and the happy little girl beamed at me.

"Since you are our guest you are Princess Stephanie." She announced.

"Just for today." I winked at her.

"Okay, princess for the day." She smiled. "Want to play Barbies?"

"Anna, Steph's hungry. She didn't eat this morning and it was a long drive here." Luca explained.

"Great. I didn't eat lunch. You can make us your spaghetti while we play." His daughter grabbed my hand.

"Spaghetti?" I got excited.

"And Meatballs. He makes it and freezes it. Sunday is cooking day." She continued to lead me to her Barbie house.

"You can cook?" I shot him a surprised look.

"Is that what you ladies would like for lunch? Spaghetti and Meatballs?" He ignored my question.

"Yes please." Anna told him as she sat down next to the Barbie house.

"Yes please." I copied Anna's response and sat down beside her.

Luca shook his head and chuckled. He came over to where we sat and mussed Anna's hair before he placed a kiss on top. He stepped away and then came back and placed a kiss on the top of my head. I looked up at him and he smiled before he headed for the door.

"Be good girls." He called behind him.

"Let's get them ready for a party." Anna suggested. "You do the hair and I'll pick out their clothes."

I picked up the doll closest to me as Anna handed me a brush. The doll's hair was down past her butt, long and blonde just like a typical Barbie. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and pulled it out to inspect it. Four missed calls from Ranger, six from Hector, and two each from Lester, Tank and Bobby. There were three from Morelli and one from his mother. Interesting that she was calling me but my own parents couldn't be bothered. I heaved out a sigh and tucked the phone back into my pocket.

"What kind of party is this? I asked her as I worked on taking off the Barbie's jeans.

"A fancy dinner party." Anna's eyes were wide with excitement.

"I might not be good at this. I haven't played Barbies in a long time." I explained.

"I bet you are better than daddy." She giggles.

"Daddy plays Barbies with you?" I worked a twist into my Barbie's hair.

"Of course he does. He always tries to give Ken different names." She smirked.

I glanced up at her Ken dolls. She had two of them sitting on a couch in the house like they were waiting on their dates. "What names?"

"He says Ken isn't an Italian name. He calls them Mario and Luigi." She shrugged.

"Oh my God!" I burst out laughing.

"Yeah, he's silly. I don't even like those names." She shook her head.

"How about Giuseppe?" I handed her the doll I had.

"No way." She handed me a brunette Barbie.

"Dominick, Anthony, Salvatore…"I offered.

"Sal. I like the name Sal. There is a boy in my class named Sal." She pulled a dress on the blonde with the twist.

"Okay, so one is Sal. What is the girl's name you are dressing?" I asked.

"Sarah." She smiled. "My best friend at school is Sarah and she has the same colored hair."

"That's pretty. Okay Sarah is going to the party and Sal is going to the party. Who do I have here?" I held up the brunette in my hand.

"Anna." She beamed.

"Okay, now we need a name for the other boy." I began a braid on my Barbie.

"He's Luca of course." She worked on changing the boy doll's clothes.

"I'm going to put a side braid in Anna's hair to make it look fancy." I explained.

"Can you do that to my hair?" She asked me.

"Sure. I just need a brush and an elastic." I finished with the Barbie.

Anna left but quickly returned with a pink brush and a purple elastic. She handed me the elastic but hesitated with the brush.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"When people brush my hair it hurts." She looked down.

"It's because you have curly hair so you get more tangles. I know the feeling." I took the brush from her hand.

"You'll be gentle?" She sat down on the floor in front of me.

"Yes." I promised.

By the time Luca hollered our names for our lunch both big and little Annas had tear free side braids in their long hair. Luca was driving the pink convertible with Anna and Stephanie sitting in the back. Sarah and Sal were following behind in a pink convertible jeep. Playing with Anna helped me focus on something else and it was good to not have a million questions torturing my brain, even if it was only for a little while.

"Wash your hands." Luca ordered when we stepped into the kitchen.

Anna pulled up a step stool while I turned on the kitchen faucet. I watched him carry a big bowl of spaghetti to the small kitchen table. The square table was a honey colored wood with white legs surrounded by four chairs. Luca was in jeans and a long sleeved blue Henley. He was wearing a red apron with smears of sauce on it. The smells made my stomach rumble with hunger and Anna laughed at the sound. I hip checked her as I washed my hands before handing her a paper towel to dry them.

Luca collected each plate and filled them with spaghetti and meatballs. Once everyone had their plates in front of them we held hands while Anna said grace. I sprinkled grated cheese on top of my pasta and then dug in. The sauce was amazing; it was the perfect blend of garlic and tomato. When I bit into the meatball I closed my eyes and felt an explosion of flavor on my tongue. It was moist and tender with a slightly crisp outside formed with bread crumbs.

"Would you two like some time alone?" Luca asked.

My eyes flew open and my cheeks went hot with embarrassment as Luca and Anna chuckled.

"You really do enjoy your food Ms. Stephanie." Anna forked a piece of meatball into her mouth.

"These are the best meatballs ever. You are a cooking God." I told Luca as I took another bite.

All afternoon I played with Anna while Luca supervised and played some too. I could tell he was a very caring father who would do anything for her short of dressing up in her tutu.

"I've been trying to get him to dress-up. But he won't." Anna pouted.

"Well maybe you need to get him some tough clothes not pretty dresses and tutu's. Why don't you have him dress up like a cop?" I asked.

"But he is already a cop, that's not dress up." Anna said disappointedly.

"Maybe you can get him a beach ball and he can dress up like beach Luca with shorts. Or a whistle and he can be lifeguard Luca." I tried.

"He's already lifeguard Luca. He reads me stories so I will take a long enough bath." Anna explained.

A while later we sat down to chicken alfredo with a side of mixed vegetables. Once again, I was moaning over the sauce.

"Wow! Where did you ever learn to cook like this?" I wondered out loud.

"My wife was a great cook and I found all her special recipes. It took some time but I eventually got them to taste as good as she used to make them" Luca explained.

"What do you like to cook Princess Stephanie?" Anna asked me.

"Oh, Anna I can't cook. They say I can burn anything." I told her.

After dinner we all cleared the table and help load the dishwasher. I insisted on cleaning up the table and counters while Luca gave Anna a bath. She liked for him to sit on the toilet and read to her while she took a bath and he was more than willing to play lifeguard. After I felt the kitchen was clean enough I went up the stairs to get unpacked and changed. I closed the door and fell down onto the bed laying on my stomach. I pulled out my phone and checked the messages.

I deleted the voicemails from my mother and Morelli. The one voicemail from Ranger only said "Babe." There were quite a few texts.

 **Call me Angelito-** _ **Hector**_

 **I'm here for you Beautiful-** _ **Lester**_

 **I need to know where you are-** _ **Morelli**_

 **Call me-** _ **Ranger**_

 **Are you okay?-** _ **Ranger**_

 **Stay safe-** _ **Tank**_

 **Be smart-** _ **Hector**_

 **I'm here for you-** _ **Bobby**_

 **Don't do something you will regret-** _ **Hector**_

 **We need to talk-** _ **Morelli**_

 **At some point you have to deal with the break-in at your apartment. No rush, area is secured.-** _ **Tank**_

 **Just tell me you're okay-** _ **Ranger**_

I decided it was time for me to send some responses.

 **Ranger- I'm okay**

 **Hector- I'm fine. I'll call soon.**

 **Lester- I'm okay. I'll call soon.**

 **Tank-I'm okay. I forgot about the apartment. Thanks. I'll call soon.**

 **Bobby-I'm okay. I'll call soon**.

The phone vibrated in my hand. It was Ranger calling. I hesitated and considered putting it off but finally decided to answer.

"Hello." I put the phone to my ear.

"Babe" I closed my eyes as his voice washed over me.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah." I answered quickly.

"Are you eating?" He inquired.

"Yeah." I responded again

"Are you safe?" He asked.

"Yeah." I spoke quickly.

"Will you talk to me?" He wanted to know.

"Not now." I rolled onto my back.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I know." I pressed my lips together tightly so I wouldn't say more.

"I trust you." He assured me.

"I know." I closed my eyes.

"I miss you." He admitted.

"I miss you too." I felt a tear roll down my cheek.

"Babe." He paused. "Come home."

"I can't." Another tear fell.

"Can we talk about it?" He asked.

"No." I sniffled.

"Not now?" He clarified.

"Not now." I agreed.

"I don't want to sleep without you." His voice was hushed.

"I…I just...can't." I couldn't say anything else without sobbing.

"Don't cry Babe. I love you. I love you so much Steph. I will do anything you want to prove to you how I feel except walk away. I'm not ever walking away from you or what we have." His voice was raw with emotion. "I can give you space and I can be patient but I won't give up. I don't want to lose you and I will fight for what we have. You are finally mine and I'm not letting you go."

I wanted to tell him to come and get me. I wanted to tell him how much I loved him. I wanted to tell him I didn't care about the memories of him pushing me away but I couldn't do it. My heart hurt every time I remembered him walking out on me and pushing me away.

"I've gotta go." I managed.

"Call me if you need me. I don't care what time it is, whatever you need just call me." He demanded.

"Okay" I sniffled.

"Promise?" He asked.

I thought about it and took a calming breath. "I promise."

"Thank you." He responded.

"I gotta go Ranger." I pleaded.

"Sleep well Babe." He told me before I disconnected.

I tossed the phone off the bed and listened to it thunk against the carpet. I rolled over onto my stomach and buried my face into the mint green pillow case. I was able to control the sobs but the tears flowed and my breath caught. I thought I heard the door open and I was sure when I felt the bed dip. There was a hand on my back rubbing circles. It wasn't the hand I expected.

"It's okay." The sweet little voice consoled me.

I couldn't talk. I was embarrassed and I couldn't control my breathing well enough to speak intelligent sentences yet.

"Daddy." Anna called.

"What's wrong? Oh Steph." I heard Luca's voice from the doorway.

"What's wrong with her daddy?" Anna asked.

"She hurt her head and she can't remember some things. It's scary to have questions and no answers." He explained.

"Like when I can't remember math during the test?" She said after some careful thought.

"Kind of like that yes. She's frustrated." He rubbed my back while he spoke.

"I'm sorry Ms. Stephanie." Anna kissed my cheek and rubbed my head with her little hand.

I rolled onto my back and opened my eyes. "Thank you."

"It's going to be okay Stephanie. You don't have to remember everything, you can make new memories." He smiled at me.

I nodded as he grabbed my hand. He pulled me up into a sitting position and slid me onto his lap. I leaned my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes. When I felt the sudden weight on top of me my eyes shot open and I let out a whoosh of breath.

"Anna." Luca chided.

She had jumped on my lap and clasped her hands around my neck. We were stacked up on Luca's lap and suddenly this was extremely funny to me. What started off as a snicker quickly became a full on belly laugh. Anna moved onto her knees and pushed us both back onto the mattress. Luca climbed over us and tickled Anna. When she fell to my side giggling he turned his quick fingers on me. I twisted and turned to get away from him and then Anna jumped on his back.

"Leave Princess Stephanie alone." She tugged at him.

"Unhand me you foul beast." I laughed through each word.

"Okay, okay I give up." He sat back onto his heels and pulled Anna to his front.

"Thank you for saving me" I told Anna

"It's time for bed." Luca announced.

"Can we have a sleepover?" Anna asked.

"Uhm no, I don't think so." Luca struggled.

"I have a sleeping bag." Anna reminded her father.

"Well, Stephanie…." He hesitated.

"It sounds like fun." I smiled.

Next thing I knew I was tucked into bed with Anna sleeping next to me in her small princess sleeping bag. I just had to remember not to roll over on top of her during the night. I liked this little girl but had a feeling she was best in small doses. I think I can be friends with children, maybe a baby sitter or even a cool aunt, just not the mom.

"Goodnight girls" Luca said as he tucked each of us into bed and kissed us both on our heads.

I woke up to a little voice whispering in my ear.

"Are you awake?" Anna asked.

"I am now." I kept my eyes closed.

"Good morning ladies." I heard Luca's cheery voice.

I sat up and glared at him. He stood in the doorway holding a cup of coffee and wearing a great big smile. Anna was curled up next to me still tucked in her sleeping bag. Last night Luca had read a book to Anna and I before tucking us in. After he went to sleep in his own room Anna and I had whispered silly stories into the night. I slept well when I slept, but woke up every hour and found myself reaching out for something or someone.

"Good morning daddy" Anna sing songed.

"Did you sleep well?" Luca asked her as he handed the coffee to me.

"Stephanie told funny stories. She said I can call her Stephanie now." Anna informed him.

I took a sip of the coffee and blanched at the taste. I was wishing Ranger was here to make it for me. I rolled my eyes at my own thoughts and bounded out of bed. I moved past Luca and headed down to the kitchen to add the proper cream and sugar. I sat down at the table and took a big gulp of the hot goodness that is caffeine.

"Thank you for last night." Luca said as he entered the room.

"For what?" I was working on keeping my eyes open.

"For being so good to Anna, it's nice for her to have girl time." He patted my shoulder.

"She's a good kid." I smiled.

"You ready to talk?" He asked me.

I let out a deep sigh and shrugged.

"Stephanie, you are more than welcome to stay here as long as you need to. I can be a better friend if I know what's upsetting you." He sat down across from me.

"There's so much. I don't know where to start." I told him.

"Start with the worst." He stirred his coffee.

"It's all bad." I rolled my eyes.

"Okay give me the summary of each issue." He drank his coffee.

I glared at him. "Fine. I am having possibly abusive memories about my ex-boyfriend that scare the crap out of me. All of the memories about my husband slash best friend are of him pushing me away and refusing to have a relationship. Memories I have seen of my mother make me want to put myself up for adoption. I don't know if I'll ever get all of my memories back and I'm terrified to make any decisions only to possibly regain a memory that will show me I have chosen wrong. Also, I don't know if there is still a contract out on my life."

"That's a lot." He nodded.

"I warned you." I finished my coffee.

He got up and came back with the coffee pot to refill my cup. "From what I found out the contract on you has been called off, though you should still be careful. What I really want to hear about are the ex-boyfriend memories."

"Oh Luca, it's a mess. The guy is untouchable. He's a cop, well liked in the community and my mom adores him. The facts are he's not one hundred percent on the up and up with his job. I know he hit me, knocking me down at least once and there may be more to that. I know he's cheated on me and recently I think he used one of my friends to get my location so he could send his mom to talk to me." I spilled.

"His mommy?" Luca's eyes were wide.

"I went out to lunch with two friends and Hector was with me. Not even five minutes after we were there Mrs. Morelli comes in and she is talking all about Italian passion comes with an Italian temper and everyone makes mistakes and Joe can change because he's not an alcoholic." I shook my head.

"What the…" He began as I lifted my hand to stop him.

"That's not even everything. I had a memory where she is taking care of me because I have a lump on my head and I had been unconscious. Morelli is telling me I fell while arguing with him. It's like she was there to keep me quiet. There to try to talk me into accepting his behavior." I gulped down more coffee.

"That's when you remember him hitting you?" Luca asked

"No, right before I left for Hawaii we had a fight and he hit me. It was not something that could be mistaken for anything else. He backhanded me across the mouth and then went all Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde about apologizing and telling me he loved me and then switching over to no one will believe me and I'm a whore." I whispered the last word.

Luca waved me off. "Anna's watching one of her movies."

"So, well I know I have to deal with him and he still thinks he has a chance and he doesn't know the wedding is real." I babbled.

"What?" Luca shook his head.

"Okay. Ranger is my mentor. I am a Bounty Hunter. We ended up in Hawaii for an apprehension and had to pose as a married couple to stay at the resort. While we were there we participated in a vow renewal ceremony that legally bound us. Ranger has the papers to prove it. Before this trip Morelli the cop was my on again off again boyfriend and I have not told him the marriage is legal." I slumped in my seat.

"So you need to sort out your feelings for Ranger and tell Morelli to screw off without pissing him off too much that he loses his shit?" Luca offered.

"Yes." I nodded.

"And you need to make sure the attempts on your life are over. You need to get Morelli's mom and your mom in a room and set them both straight. Finally you need to ease up and let yourself get your memories back in your own time." He rinsed out his mug and set it in the sink.

"I also think you need to make decisions based on how you feel and what you know. You really think if you decide to paint your room blue and then four months down the road you remember your favorite color is purple it's going to ruin your life?" He leaned back against the counter.

"What if I love someone and then remember they don't really love me even if they say they do now?" I jumped to my feet.

"Is that English?" Luca took the mug from me.

"Ranger says in Hawaii something happened between us that made us both admit how we feel and we both wanted the vows to count and he loves me. All of my memories until two weeks ago have him pushing me away and him walking out on me. How am I supposed to just risk my heart and trust that what he says now is true, while knowing that he has pushed me away every other time before?" I asked.

"Don't we do that all the time? Don't we fall in love and offer our hearts to someone knowing they can break it?" Luca asked

"That's different. That's a known risk. I don't know if I can get past the memories and constant visions of him pushing me away over and over." I buried my head in my hands.

"That's something only you can decide." He shrugged.

"What's the plan for the day?" I asked him.

"Coney Island." He announced.

"Maybe I should just stay here and sort this all out." I threw up my hands.

"You need a break. You need a distraction." He patted my shoulder.

"Fine." I turned towards the stairs.

I spent the day focusing on anything else besides my messed up life. We ate Nathan's hot dogs, cotton candy, and french fries with vinegar. We rode on the Wonder Wheel, the Cyclone and on the Carousel three times in a row. Experiencing the joy of rides, games and fried food with a kindergartener made it very easy to forget all of the negative things I had swimming through my head. Luca and Anna didn't care if I remembered anything and didn't expect anything from me. I was finally able to just let myself go an enjoy a good time.

"I can't thank you enough." I told Luca as he drove back to his home.

"It was my pleasure. My only hope was that you would get a break from the little Olympics you have going on in your mind." He told me.

"Anna is so amazing." I twisted in my seat to see her sleeping face.

Anna was in her booster seat with her head leaning on the giant stuffed unicorn Luca had won for her. I squeezed the little unicorn in my own hand. Anna had insisted that Luca continue with the basketball game until he had won a prize for each of us. He probably spent $50 for our two unicorns. I cut my eyes to Luca and he was smiling as he focused on the road. I smiled to myself happily content that I wasn't the only one in the car that had a great day.

Something hit me suddenly. It was like a shock or an electric current. My stomach was quickly overcome with feelings of nausea. Something was wrong. I could feel like something was off or we were in danger.

"Luca." I reached over and touched his forearm

I watched as Luca's smile dropped and he tilted his head. His eyes squinted up like he was trying to view something better. I looked out the front window and noticed there seemed to be someone on the front porch of the Romano house. As we got closer I knew who it was right away. I found myself gripping Luca's forearm and hissing in a quick breath.

"Is that Morelli?" Luca asked.

"How did you know?" I was curious.

"It's not Manoso and the guy's not hiding, so it has to be the fine young Detective Morelli." Luca said sarcastically.

"What do I do?" I whispered as if Morelli could hear me.

"Are you ready to talk to him?" He asked as he pulled up to the curb.

"Not yet." I quickly responded.

"You can help me get Anna inside. Then he won't stop you. Wait right there." He instructed.

I tried to avoid looking directly at Morelli, who was still sitting on the front steps. Luca walked around the back of the car to Anna's door. When he reached in to get her he motioned with his head for me to get out. I grabbed my purse and slung it over my shoulder to wear it across my chest so it wouldn't fall off. Once I had closed the door he passed the sleeping princess to me. She instinctively wrapped her hands around my neck as I hugged her in close.

"Too heavy?" Luca asked.

"No, she's fine." I smiled.

He grabbed both unicorns and then we turned around together. Morelli stood up and walked to the bottom of the stairs.

"Cupcake, we need to talk." He moved towards me.

"I can't right now." I used a hushed voice.

Morelli's face was blank but there was anger in his eyes. I glanced at his hands and watched as he balled them up into fists. His knuckles quickly drew white and I could only imagine the pain that he must be feeling as his nails dug into his palms. Luca moved behind me and ushered me up the stairs. When we reached the top he moved around me to open the door. Morelli had joined us on the porch. He had one hand in his pocket and one running through his hair. He seemed nervous and unsure of himself.

"I'll wait here." Morelli nodded and sat down in one of the chairs.

The chair squeaked when he sat down and there was a part of me that wanted to chuckle at that. I shifted Anna in my arms and Luca opened the door. He put his hand on my back and ushered me in. He closed the door and locked it before guiding me upstairs. We brought Anna to her room and I laid her on the bed. He went to her drawers and pulled out a pair of pajamas while I took off her shoes and socks. We took turns moving her around to get her quickly changed into her paw patrol nightgown.

I watched as he moved her head onto the pillow and pulled the sheet up to cover her. Anna rolled over to the side as she cuddled up with the unicorn. He turned on the nightlight as I backed out of the room. He turned off the light and closed the door almost all of the way. He left it opened just a crack. We came back down the stairs together. I watched as he opened the coat closet and opened a safe on the top shelf. He pulled out his gun and tucked it into the small of his back.

"You think you'll need that?" I asked him.

"He has one so it's best to take the precaution." He gave me a smile.

"Let me go out there." I offered as I stepped towards the door. "I'll just get it over with."

"No. Stay inside and if you feel like you are worried about what's happening call Ranger or 911 rather than coming out the door. It won't help me if I have to worry about you and an open door leading up to my sleeping daughter." He cautioned me.

"You think it might get that serious?" I asked.

"I don't like the look he had on his face." Luca responded.

I grabbed Luca and pulled him into a hug. "Be careful."

"Always am." He smiled. "Lock this behind me."

I took my purse from my shoulder and dug my phone out of it. I tossed my purse onto the couch and moved closer to the door. I quietly turned the dead bolt until I heard the bolt slide into place and took a step closer to the window. I couldn't get a decent view without being seen but I could see the side of Luca as he approached Morelli.

"How can I help you Detective Morelli?" Luca asked.

"You can't. I need to talk to Stephanie." Morelli told him.

"She doesn't want to talk to you right now." Luca told him.

"Who are you anyway?" Morelli asked Luca.

"A friend of Steph's." Luca explained.

"Well, she doesn't belong here friend. She needs to go back home where she can relax and get back to her life." Morelli sounded aggravated.

"How did you find her?" Luca asked him.

"Cell phone." He sounded cocky now.

"Well, I am sure she appreciates your effort but as I said she is not ready to talk to you right now." Luca sounded calm.

"This is part of a police investigation." I assumed Morelli had squared up his chest at those words.

"Is that so?" Luca sounded amused.

"Yes it is, so I need her back out here now. I don't want to have to come back with a warrant." Morelli's arrogant tone made me roll my eyes.

"If this is police business shouldn't you have another officer with you?" Luca questioned.

"Do you want me to show you my badge?" Morelli asked.

"You show me yours and I'll show you mine." Luca teased.

"WHAT? What the hell kind of freak are you? You have a little girl in there. I am not interested in men. I am here to see my fiancée and you would do best to go and fetch her." Morelli commanded.

Luca laughed. "Fetch? Like she's a bone and I'm a dog. That's funny."

"What's funny is your face." Morelli sounded like a toddler about to stomp his foot.

"Stephanie is not coming out here to talk to you. When she is ready to talk to you she will call you." He paused. "And if I were interested in guys I would have better taste than you. I was offering to show you my badge if you showed yours detective."

"You're a cop?" Morelli sounded shocked.

Luca didn't talk so I had to assume he nodded.

"A detective?" Morelli pushed.

"I'm not getting into a pissing match with you." Luca told him.

Morelli laughed. "New Detective. I understand."

"Look Detective Morelli if you would like to check up on me feel free. I just celebrated my promotion to Lieutenant so when you google me make sure you type in Lieutenant Luca Romano. As far as you coming to my home to talk to Mrs. Manoso? That's not going to happen."

Before Luca could continue Morelli interrupted him with loud fits of laughter. "Manoso? No, she's not married."

"I don't have time for this." Luca tried to dismiss him.

"From one Italian to another I need you to help me out here. I need to talk to her because other people are trying to poison her against me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing you. As a matter of fact I am glad she has a friend like you. We just need to keep her away from her other friends."

"Do you hear yourself? Keep her away from people? Stephanie is not some wayward teenager." Luca sounded frustrated.

"Fine. Just tell her to come out here for a minute." Morelli suggested.

"No, she is probably asleep now anyway." Luca told him.

"I'm starting to get pissed off here. This is my fucking fiancée and everyone is trying to keep her away from me. She belongs to me." The Italian temper was coming out. In my mind I saw him waving around his hands.

"Did you hear me at all? Go inside and get her out." Morelli ordered.

Luca chuckled. "You're not in Trenton anymore Toto. You can't swing around the badge you use to overcompensate for your inadequacies around here. You are just another Jersey Shore reject thinking he's something more than he really is."

"What the?" Morelli sounded confused.

"Romano. Twenty eight. Twenty four. I need you to send two cars out to my residence." Luca sounded like he was on the phone.

"You don't have to." Morelli tried to interrupt.

"Thanks." Luca sounded like he was most likely ending his phone conversation.

"What the hell? Why'd you do that?" Morelli asked him.

"Because I'm tired and I don't want to waste any more time out here with you." Luca told him.

I heard someone moving closer to the door and then I heard the door knob turn. A key was added and the lock was released. I flattened myself up against the wall and closed my eyes as if that could help me hide better. Morelli was begging, pleading and trying to barter with Luca to bring me out to him. Luca didn't respond. I watched Luca come in the door smiling. He gave me a wink before he closed and locked the door.

************************************THANK YOU********************************

Thanks as always to everyone that takes time to share your thoughts with me. I always look forward to and appreciate every review.

Thank you Jenn for dealing with the monster that is Microsoft to get this chapter beta'ed

Mmbabefanmmm and all of the guest reviewers that wrote out long reviews. THANK YOU!


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17-

"I am so sorry for involving you in all of this." I told Luca.

"It's not your fault you have an asshole following you." Luca assured me.

He reached out and patted me on the shoulder. You could still hear Morelli ranting and raving on the porch.

"Come on Steph this isn't fair. I just want to see you. I need to see if you are okay. I drove all the way here. I missed guy's day for this." He was shouting.

 _I saw myself sitting in the passenger seat of a red Firebird with Lula at the wheel. I was a mess. My eyes were swollen, red and sore from pepper spray. My ass was sore and my legs were killing me._

" _You sure you want to go in there? It's still guy day." Lula told me._

" _I don't care what day it is. I'm beat. I want to take a shower, get into clean clothes, and turn into a couch potato." I moaned._

 _I straggled into the house and found five guys in front of the television. I knew them all Mooch, Tony, Joe, Stanley Skulnik and Ray Daily. There were pizza boxes, boxes of donuts, discarded candy bar wrappers, beer bottles and chip bags on the coffee table. Bob was sound asleep on the floor by Morelli. He had orange Cheese Doodle dust on his nose and a red jelly bean stuck in the fur on his ear. Everyone but Bob was eyes glued to the television. They all turned and stared at me when I walked into the room._

" _How's it going?" Mooch said._

" _Looking good." Stanley said._

" _Yo." From Tony._

" _Long time no see." Ray said._

 _And they turned back to the game._

 _I had hair from hell. I'd blown my nose in my shirt. I was covered with rust and crud, my jeans were torn and I was holding a roll of toilet paper from McDonald's and no one noticed. Not that I was surprised by this. After all these guys were from the Burg and a game was on television._

 _Morelli continued to stare after the others had turned away._

" _Fell down an elevator shaft and got sprayed with pepper spray." I said to him. "Picked up the toilet paper at McDonald's."_

" _and you're okay?" He asked._

 _I nodded._

" _Can you get me a cold one?" Morelli smiled._

"What the fuck!" I exclaimed.

"Steph? What's wrong?" Luca asked.

"Just a memory." I shook my head.

"Not a good one?" He tilted his head.

I let out a sigh. "Just another reminder of why Joseph Morelli is not the man I want to be with."

"I think you should call your husband." Luca announced.

"Wait What? How? Uhm." I was beyond confused.

"Morelli is not going away. If he leaves the porch he will stay nearby and watch the house. I didn't get this far in my career without being able to read people. Something is not right about him tonight. He's not just going to walk away from this. This is the perfect opportunity for him because you are away from Trenton and away from Manoso." Luca moved closer to me.

"I guess I'll just call Hector or one of the guys." I took a step towards my purse.

"Who do you really want here to help you?" Luca asked.

I pulled out my phone and froze in place. The tears didn't even have time to pool in the backs of my eyes they just came right out. Luca took my phone and held it in front of my face. I reached my fingers out to unlock the screen and then hit speed dial one.

"Yo" Ranger answered on the first ring.

"Tell him" Luca mouthed as he pushed the phone towards me.

"Babe" Ranger's voice came through the phone.

"Ranger. Carlos. Can you…will you?" I sniffled.

"I'll be there in forty-five." He disconnected.

I pulled the phone away and looked at it incredulously. "What the hell was that?"

"A man who knows you well." Luca smirked.

"I don't know if I'm ready to deal with him." I admitted.

"You can't avoid it forever. You are welcome here as long as you want, but don't hide. You had some time away and now you have to deal with your reality." He informed me.

"What if I don't want to? What if I'm not ready?" I pouted.

"You can keep running away and possibly putting yourself in danger. You played kid for the day and now it's time to play as an adult." He chided me.

"You are trying to get rid of me?" I asked.

"No, not at all. I'll even go a step further and admit that I like having you around. As a matter of fact if you decide the best resolution for all of your man drama in Trenton is to be single, I would definitely be up for going on a date with you, but I can't play second and you already have someone in your heart. I can settle for friendship though and I've been told I am an excellent friend." He explained.

"You're an amazing friend." I nodded.

"As a friend I'm telling you it's time to stop running and deal with the problems in your life." He gave me a small smile.

I knew he was right but it was still overwhelming. I felt my knees weaken and I found myself taking a step back so that I would fall down onto the couch cushion rather than the floor. There was a knock on the door and Luca went to go check it out. I gave my head a quick shake to try to wake up, focus and not drift off into my thoughts. I needed to get control of the situation and calm down. I felt a strange sense of fear and looming danger. I went to the kitchen and got some water as I listened to Luca talk to the patrol officers who were at the door. He was describing Morelli, who I was assuming had taken off and using his phone to pull up a picture of him to show the officers.

I headed upstairs to get my things. I knew I would be leaving with Ranger. I gathered all of my toiletries and clothes that I had pulled out of my bag. I made the bed and glanced around the room to see if anything needed to be straightened up. I turned off the light and pulled the door closed before I let out a deep sigh. I turned left and headed towards Anna's room. She looked like she was asleep and I didn't want to wake her just to say goodbye.

"Goodbye." I whispered

"Ms. Stephanie?" the little girl slowly sat up.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I just wanted to say goodbye." I moved closer to her.

"You're leaving?" She scrubbed at her eyes with balled up fists.

"It's time for me to go home to my family." I patted her leg.

"You could be part of our family. I like having a big sister." She told me.

I laughed. "I would love having you as a sister."

 _I saw my sister Valerie's face in my mind._

" _Why did I have to get stuck with a sister like you?" She shook her head._

 _She rolled her eyes and left the room._

"Will I ever see you again?" Anna broke into my memory.

"Of course. We're friends right?" I smiled.

"Yes." She beamed.

"Thanks for letting me play with your Barbies and thank you for such a great day at Coney Island." I felt my grin widen.

"Maybe you can go with us again in the summer?" She asked.

"That sounds great, of course I would love to spend the day with you." I nodded.

"I'm going to miss you." She frowned.

"I'll miss you too. I'm so glad I met you." I found myself keeping back tears.

She threw herself into my arms and I hugged her to me. Anna made me feel like having a kid around could be fun. Not a baby though. I really wouldn't want all of the extra responsibility that comes along with having a baby, but hanging out with a kid from time to time would be fun. I kissed Anna on the cheek and untangled myself from the hug. I waited while she ran to the bathroom and then reappeared by launching herself back onto her bed and snuggling into my side. Luca came in and I laid back in the bed so Anna could settle into her spot on the pillow.

We listened to Luca 'read' about two princesses who met and became best friends. They both had brown curly hair one with green eyes and one with blue. Luca really is a great dad. By the time Luca had finished the book Ana was lightly snoring. I pulled myself from her hug and Luca grabbed my hand to pull me up from the bed. We moved out of the room silently and I waited in the hall while he turned on the nightlight.

"I think you made a friend for life." Luca gave me a bright smile.

"She's a great kid, I really enjoyed being able to spend time with her. Thank you so much for allowing me to stay in your home." I admitted.

"It was nice for her to have some girl time and nice for me to make a new friend too." He tilted his head.

The smile left his face as he reached his right hand out towards me. He cupped my face and rubbed my cheekbone with his thumb. I leaned away a little worried that his touch was overstepping the friend zone. He let his hand fall back to his side and forced a tight-lipped smile.

"In another life." He sounded wistful.

"I really appreciate all your help." I assured him.

"Yeah yeah." He moved around me.

"Seriously." I went to the guest room to grab my bag.

"To love and be loved in return. Nice guys finish last. True love. Life's too short. All of that sentimental crap. Now just talk to your damn husband." Luca muttered as he moved down the stairs.

"Luca, thank you damn it!" I smiled as I shook my head.

"If you really want to thank me I think you should be the one to explain to my mother why we aren't getting married." He spun around to face me.

"Uhm no. I am not good with anyone's mom and that includes my own." I held up my hands palms out.

"My mom just nags me to get out and date." He rolled his eyes.

"Wow a mom wanting their kid to be happy but not ordering them around or pushing their views and opinions on them? That is truly an anomaly." I teased.

"Maybe losing your memory will be the best thing that ever happened to you. Maybe you'll forget most of the evil things your mom has done or said. Maybe you'll be able to get rid of crappy friends. I have some thoughts from what we discussed while you have been here." He raised his pointer finger.

"Go ahead." I prompted.

"You need to sit down with your mom and basically say change or I'm done. Forget the Italian shit and cut her off if she is going to be toxic." I opened my mouth to speak but he raised his finger again. "Connie and Lula? I'd have to meet them but I am pretty sure one or both of them is feeding Morelli info and that is how Morelli's mom knew where to find you so she couold ambush you with her little lesson about Italian passion."

"You got all of this from my whining and complaining on our long car rides?" I was surprised.

"And Momma Morelli? Typical enabler. You can't believe a word she says as long as she is making up excuses for her son's behavior." He grabbed my shoulders. "Most of all I want you away from Morelli. I think there may be more memories. The way he talks isn't healthy. He thinks of you as a possession, a toy he owns and that is dangerous."

I fell into his chest and he hugged me tight. "Thank you."

"And stop trusting strangers." He scolded. "You are so lucky that I'm not an asshole"

A knock on the door ended our hug and interrupted our conversation. I froze in place suddenly racked with nerves at the thought of talking to Ranger. I watched Luca peer through the window beside the door before opening it. Seeing what he expected he opened the door and stepped back. Ranger stepped past the threshold before he stopped. He looked to his right and then too his left where his eyes caught mine. My eyes never left his as my feet moved on their own and carried me straight across the room and into his awaiting arms. It was like we were connected by a magnet and I had no choice but to be pulled directly to him.

The second I was surrounded by his arms I regretted ever leaving. I closed my eyes and laid my head against his chest. I felt content, happy, like I was home. I felt a light kiss on the top of my head and then his lips stayed there as his warm breath swept through my hair. The only thing that stopped me from kissing him was knowing Luca was right there and the front door was wide open. When we pulled away from each other Ranger cupped my face with both hands and examined me before he let out a breath.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I am now." I told him.

"Morelli was here and I don't think he takes rejection well. He wanted to talk to her, even tried to pull the cop card." Luca laughed.

"How'd that go over?" Ranger smiled at him.

"Not too well." Luca informed him.

Ranger chuckled. "He's not real good at accepting orders or advice. He seems to think no one is above him."

"It's an Italian thing, probably grew up with all the women of the house waiting on him and stroking his ego." Luca shrugged.

"You're not a dick." I told Luca.

"Nah, my wife would have kicked my ass." He smiled and then glanced at Ranger. "I have a feeling yours would also."

"True." Ranger said and I smirked.

"Ranger, he's not going to go away quietly." Luca turned serious.

"What kind of vibe did you get?" Ranger asked.

"He smells the defeat. Deep down he knows he has already lost her. He's angry and looking to save face. He doesn't want to come off as the loser. Also, I think he has abused her before and he wants to shut her up. Convincing someone to keep quiet is hard enough, but to try to do it all over again when she doesn't even remember your long history? That's a lot harder." Luca explained.

"Hey! I'm right here. I protested.

"That's why I'm reporting to your man here." Luca gestured to Ranger.

"Thanks man. I will get her to a safe place until we can figure out how to handle him." Ranger held out his hand to Luca.

"You're a lucky man." Luca shook his hand.

"I know it." Ranger nodded.

"If you need anything I am happy to help. Steph has become a friend to my daughter and me. I have the means to do some things you can't so reach out if you need anything." Luca told Ranger.

I grabbed Luca into a hug. "Thank you for being a friend and please make sure you tell Anna I will see her again."

"I definitely will. Call me if you need anything, I want to help in whatever way I can." Luca gave me a quick squeeze before releasing me. "It's an Italian pride thing. I can't have him going around and ruining the Italian image."

"You're crazy." I giggled

"Go now. Go while the patrol cars are still circling the block." He encouraged.

Ranger took my bag and grabbed my hand as he whisked me out the door to his waiting car. I wanted to give Luca another hug or a better goodbye. Besides the guys at Rangeman he was my first real friend since I got back from Hawaii. The first friend I felt was mine first, and not the guys who were friends with Ranger first. Ranger was driving a black SUV tonight. Before I could tell him I had a bad feeling, he yanked open the passenger door and ushered me into the seat. He threw my bag in between the two front seats and it landed in the back perfectly. He jogged around the front of the truck and hopped in.

"I have a bad…" I was interrupted.

We both snapped our heads to look at his window as we heard the ping of metal and the glass crackling as a large white spot with broken glass appeared in the middle of it. Ranger threw the SUV into gear and screeched away from the curb. I wanted to ask him what that was or what was going on. I think I knew it was a bullet. I don't know if it was meant for him or me but I had the feeling it wouldn't matter. One bullet would kill us both easily. I was thinking about what it would be like to die of a broken heart when Ranger raised his voice.

"Get down." He demanded as we took off down the street.

"What the hell was that?" I asked.

"Get that seat belt on and hold on." He ordered.

"Okay. Yes. Sorry." I nodded vigorously. "We should go back. We should tell Luca. We should call the police."

"Relax Babe. Let me get you out of here first." Ranger was focused.

I fumbled with the seat belt. He increased our speed and began making random turns. I wanted to ask questions, but I decided it was best to just be quiet and let him focus. I had done this. I had put him in danger and right now I was feeling both guilty and responsible. Morelli? Could it have been Morelli? Would he shoot near Luca's house knowing Anna was inside? I didn't trust Morelli and at this point I figured he was capable of anything. All of his claims of love felt empty, I heard the words but felt nothing from him. It was almost as if he was casting me in a role and I was not the right type for the part.

"What is it Babe? What's wrong?" Carlos sounded frantic.

"My life. I am so stupid." I let out a deep sigh,

Ranger patted my knee and then kept his hand there. "Relax Steph, I'm here and we are going to handle this together."

I placed my hand on top of his and closed my eyes. I took deep breaths and tried to focus on something nice. The beach, the warm sun, and tropical breezes. Hawaii.

 _I stood at the airport patiently waiting near the baggage claim. I was shifting my weight back and forth from foot to foot as I moved my head to look around people, trying to watch the doors for Ranger. I was feeling both nervous and anxious. I wanted to see him and I was excited that he would be helping me with the Rug but I was nervous to be with him so far away from any of our usual buffers. I saw a crowd slowly start to part to the sides and Ranger strode up the middle. He smiled when he saw me and moved straight to me. He gathered me up into his arms and I clung to him as he placed a kiss on my neck. I felt eyes on us like we were one of those weepy lifetime movies where a couple reunites._

" _Good to see you Babe." He told me when he pulled back._

" _Thank you for coming." I told him._

" _I wouldn't miss this for anything." The corners of his mouth slightly lifted. "Love it when you get all determined and focused on a case. Getting front row seats to view the way your mind works is worth the long flight."_

" _Ranger" I fake hit his chest._

" _Babe. You know you can always count on me." He gave me a chaste kiss on my lips._

" _I really appreciate it." I smiled and found myself leaning in to lay my own quick kiss on his soft lips._

 _He gave me a nod and then took my hand. We moved over to the baggage carousel and waited for his bag. He kept my hand clasped in his and I found myself leaning against his shoulder. To most people we probably looked like a real couple and a part of me really liked that idea. It's too bad it's not reality. We watched as the bags came around and then Ranger bent down to grab his black suitcase. To me it looked like all of the other black suitcases, but he seemed to know it was his without even checking the tags. I led him to where I had parked the rental car, we loaded up and exited out of the airport with me in the driver's seat._

 _I was driving down the highway towards the resort when Ranger motioned to a sign. I glanced at him and he gestured for me to pull over. The sign read_ _ _Makapu'u Lookout_. I pulled into the tiny parking lot and we both got out of the car. Ranger and I met in front of the car and he took my hand and pulled me towards the edge of the parking lot. We made it over to a small trail and he stopped to glance at me. I shook my head no in answer to his unasked question. No, I did not want to go hiking. He tilted his head and if I didn't know better I would swear he had a slight pout. _

_I gave in and nodded to him. Ranger kept a slow pace in appreciation for me agreeing to the nature hike. He stopped at the end of the trail and we took a few steps towards the sound of the ocean. We stood at the top of what looked like steep cliffs. There were lots of green and jagged rocks. Below us was a perfect little cove and the sun added a silver shimmer to the waves that crashed in and out. Ranger moved behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned back into him and rested my head into his neck as he placed a kiss on my temple._

" _Before we start this I have a suggestion." Ranger spoke softly._

" _Start what?" I felt my eyebrows furrow._

" _This case. This pursuit." He elaborated. "I have a proposition for us."_

" _What's that?" I kept my eyes closed._

" _Let's not pretend anymore. Let's do this for real." He suggested._

" _What do you mean?" My eyes opened and I turned my head towards him._

" _Let's see what can happen. What happens to Ranger and Stephanie when there is no Burg? What happens when there is no threat? What happens when we just spend time together?" He kissed my forehead._

" _I am so confused right now." I wrapped my hands around his._

" _I've been thinking about this for quite a while, sometimes it seems like forever." He admitted._

" _Forever since we've known each other?" I asked._

" _Yes." He kissed my temple again._

" _Because I am a pain in your ass and a waste of your finances?" I offered._

" _No, because I don't want to remember a time when you weren't a part of my life." He corrected me._

" _This is just so out of the blue for me." I conceded._

" _I'm tired Steph. I'm tired of you pushing me away out of guilt. I'm tired of pushing you away because of …" He paused for a full minute. "Because of fear."_

" _What are you afraid of?" I rolled my eyes._

" _I'm afraid to lose you." He answered quickly._

" _I know the whole thing about not being there to save me." I nuzzled his neck._

" _No Babe not just that. It's been a long time since that first kiss. A long time of the push and pull between us. Can we just let it all go? Forget the guilt and all of the past crap we've both said. Tear down these walls we've put up and just feel. Just for a little while let's forget that you are the girl saddled with Catholic guilt. Forget that you are the person who protects her heart by settling for comfort, for what's safe rather than risking your heart on what might be." He moved his nose in my hair._

" _Wow. I don't know how I feel about what you just said. I guess I agree with it but I'm not used to hearing it spoken outside of my own head." I was stunned. "What about you?"_

" _Me?" He asked. "I'll forget the guy that never wanted a relationship. I'll forget the guy who keeps what he loves at arm's length so he can't be hurt and so he can't hurt what he loves. The guy who doesn't let anyone in because he is afraid his enemies will get to them."_

" _So we just be us? Just go with it?" I ask._

" _Yes. Just us. No escape when it gets too deep" He kissed my temple again._

" _I uhmm…" I bit into my lower lip._

" _It's worth it Steph. It's really worth it if we can figure out a way to make it work. The feelings are already there. The love, friendship, trust and honesty, when we talk about things, all of it is already there with us."_

 _I found myself answering without even thinking it over. "Okay."_

 _He pulled me away and turned so that we were facing each other. His hands were on my shoulders. "Okay?"_

 _I nodded. "Yes. I want to do this."_

" _Babe" His face lit up. "I don't know what to say. I was expecting you to argue more, I had rebuttals for every possible argument you might have."_

 _He pulled me into his arms and his lips covered mine. I didn't wait for him to take charge of the kiss. I darted my tongue out and licked his bottom lip before forcing my way into his mouth. My hands flew to the back of his hair as his surged through mine. It was a deep and passionate kiss full of promise. I felt every bit of the desire, excitement and commitment behind our kisses. I felt the warmth all the way down to the tips of my toes. He pulled away first and I was still leaning forward into him. He gave out a chuckle and then kissed my nose. When I opened my eyes, he pecked my lips and then reached into his pocket. He had a small ring box in his hand._

" _Don't hyperventilate. These are so we can get into the resort." He popped open the box._

 _I looked down at the open box and felt excitement surge through me. I wasn't nervous or nauseous. I didn't even need to shove my head between my legs. My mouth fell open as I admired the rings. There was an engagement ring and two wedding bands; the thicker one was obviously for him. It was platinum and plain except for the black line that circled around the center of the ring. Both of the rings for me were also platinum. The more delicate band was an eternity ring with little diamonds lining the entire circle;. It was the engagement ring that caught my attention. It was breathtaking, stunning, elegant, and the most arresting piece of jewelry I had ever seen in person._

 _I had never wanted another engagement ring on my finger but I found myself longing for this one and everything it represented. I didn't know about rock sizes but this one was huge. I reached my hand out and touched it. It didn't disappear and Ranger didn't pull the box away from me. I used the tip of my pointer finger to gently brush against the glittering, glowing diamond solitaire that sat in the middle of the ring reflecting brilliantly under the bright afternoon sun._

 _I was never one of those girls that constantly looked at engagement rings. The ring Dickie had given me was small but classic looking. This shining diamond was not small but somehow the ring looked classy and not gaudy. On each side of the diamond were small sparkling sapphires, well they weren't especially small but compared to the monster of a diamond in the center they were tiny._

" _It's….wow…it's…" I struggled to find the right words._

" _Nothing compared to you." He offered._

 _My head snapped up and met his eyes. Who was this man? I felt my heart growing three sizes bigger like the damn Grinch. We stayed locked on each other as I felt his hands moving along my outstretched hand and then my finger. He closed his eyes and leaned in to kiss my forehead. He left his lips pressed against me when he spoke. "I love you."_

 _I closed my eyes and basked in the moment. I wanted to hold onto it for as long as I could before it was ruined by one of his qualifiers. I didn't want to hear the comment that would take away the weight of his words. There was nothing but silence. He kissed my forehead again and then pulled back. I opened my eyes and looked into his and saw nothing but love._

" _You ready Babe?"_

" _Ready?" I questioned._

 _He carefully took two rings out of the box, gingerly lifted up my shaky left hand and slid the gigantic rock on my finger._

" _Now we are engaged." He smiled at me. Then he slid the second one on to meet the first. They both shimmered and danced in the brilliant tropical light. He lifted my hand to his mouth and he kissed them._

" _Starting today you are my wife. Now we are married." He gave me the full 200 watter and I felt something warm inside me exploding and filling up my chest._

" _Babe, it's your turn." He said. He reopened the box and raised it up to me. I carefully lifted out the thick band and reached for his left hand. I slowly, carefully glided the wide band into place and mirrored his actions. I brought it up to my lips and kissed the chunky ring where it now rested proudly on his finger._

" _Now we are married." I confirmed. "This is perfect really. Thank you so much for coming and for borrowing these." I smiled at him._

" _You can always count on me. But you should know one thing. These aren't borrowed rings, I bought them." He informed me._

" _Bought them? Oh my god Ranger!" I exclaimed. "You can't do that. You shouldn't waste money on…"_

" _Let me decide how I want to spend my money." He shut me up with words and then followed up with his mouth._

 _I forgot my name and everything else except for him and the pleasure he gave me. Tingles ran through me everywhere. I would like to live in denial and say someone else moaned but it was me. It was all me and I wasn't ashamed at all. I was just enjoying myself making out with Ranger._

"Steph! Babe!" Hands were shaking me.

I opened my eyes and Ranger's face was inches from mine. I let my head fall back against the head rest and he backed off to give me space. I took some deep breaths as images from the memory continued to flash through my mind. Now I knew what he meant when he said he didn't actually propose and I didn't actually say yes."

"I'm sorry, you weren't responding." He slouched back in his seat.

I looked out the windshield in front of me. We were on the side of the highway and it was dark outside. There were no signs around to tell me where we were and I couldn't distinguish the tree covered landscape. I sat up and looked around. My eyes caught the time on the display screen. It was 9:04 in the evening. Looking out the window I could tell we were on a four-lane highway, but there was no more evidence that could be gathered while sitting here.

"Where are we?" I asked him.

"We are about an hour outside of Syracuse." He informed me.

"Why Syracuse?" I turned in my seat to face him.

"Typically, I would head to Philly or even Maine, so I decided to go to an area where I don't have an established safe house." He explained.

I wanted to call Luca and see if Morelli had left. I found my purse on the floor and searched through it to no avail. I watched Ranger from the corner of my eye watching me. He had turned to face me as well but was doing nothing but watching me.

"Where's my phone?" I asked him.

"Somewhere near the Manhattan bridge." He shrugged.

"What?" I was aggravated.

"Babe."

"Ranger." I waited.

"Luca sent me a text telling me that's how Morelli has been finding you, so I got rid of it. Also got rid of all the trackers you had on you. The only thing you have is your panic button." He reached out for my hand.

"Ranger." I began.

"I had to Babe. I will get you a new phone when we get back." He rubbed my hand.

"I understand." I nodded.

"Do we need to look for food or a bathroom yet?" He asked.

"We can wait another thirty minutes or so. Wait until we can get to a more populated area." I offered.

"That's a good choice. Once we sit down to eat we can book a hotel for the night with my phone." He informed me.

"Then what?" I asked.

"Then we figure out how to move forward. The number one priority is protecting you." He kissed my cheek.

"The first priority is finding whoever is doing this so none of us are in danger." I corrected him.

"I only want to keep you safe Steph. Keep you at my side where you belong." He kissed me again.

"I know it was one night but after all of this time of sharing a bed with you I was really missing you not sleeping in my arms." He admitted.

"I missed you much more than I was comfortable with." I knew I was blushing.

He kissed me one more time and then smiled. He turned back in his seat and rearranged his seatbelt.

"Uhm Ranger, I should tell you something." I hesitated.

"What's wrong?" He leaned closer.

"I remembered." I bit my lower lip.

"What do you remember?" He tucked a loose curl behind my ear.

"I remember when you first got to Hawaii. I remember what we talked about when we were on the cliffs. I remember when we exchanged the rings." My voice grew quieter with each word.

He closed his eyes and sighed with relief. "Stephanie."

My name was a whisper across his lips. He leaned in and moved his fingers around to the back of my neck, his lips so close to mine I could feel his warm breath. I fought the urge to lean in that last inch and take his lips. I was still afraid of being hurt by this man because he had so much power over me.

"I'm sorry I ran out like that." I looked down. "I won't do it again."

He used his fingers to tilt my chin up. "It's okay. It makes sense Steph. I really screwed up with you and I know that. I know I have to earn back your trust and will work on it every day. Like I said our time in Hawaii was a huge turning point for us, but I know it doesn't make up for years of pushing you away."

"I think I have to share some blame for that." I took a breath. "When I remember you walking out, you telling me to fix my relationship I also know I didn't fight for us. I didn't really try at all. I didn't argue or tell you how I felt. I should have and I will now. I'm going to tell you how I feel to the best of my abilities."

"The best of your abilities?" he chuckled.

"I still think I might be slightly immature when it comes to expressing my feelings." I leaned my forehead into his.

"Slightly?" He joked.

"I just want to be with you." I assured him.

"I missed you. A night without you was hell. Let's not do that again okay? I'll sleep on the couch if you need space, but I need to be near you." He leaned into me more. "God, I sound so needy it's embarrassing."

"I won't tell anyone." I pulled my forehead away.

I caught his eyes, but just for a second and then I pressed my lips to his. He groaned and pressed his tongue against my lips until I parted them to allow him entrance. I loved kissing this man, and I couldn't imagine ever getting enough of him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and let myself get lost in the sensations of warmth and pleasure pulsing through my body. By the time we broke away for air we were both panting

"We need to get moving. Can you use my phone to find us a hotel in Syracuse now? I want to make sure we don't wait too long. You can book two rooms if you need to Steph, I can be patient and give you space." He handed me his phone.

He reached behind him and grabbed his wallet from his back pocket before handing it to me. "Here, just use any ID and credit card. There are at least three of them in there."

************************THANK YOU**************************

Thank you Misty23y for providing me with the scene to showcase what an asshole Morelli is.  
Bandit3s- Thank you for your review. It came at a time when I needed it the most.

And of course thank you Jenn-you Rock!


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Good evening. Do you have a reservation?" The woman asked.

Standing behind the desk of the Genesee Grande Hotel was a twenty-something year old woman who was currently drooling over my husband. The woman was tan with long sleek black hair and big brown almond shaped eyes. She was tall with a slender figure except for the giant boobs that were currently about to bust from her uniform of a white button down shirt where she had obviously "missed" buttoning a few buttons and her too short for work black skirt. She was batting her eyelashes and grinning widely as she leaned closer, her breasts nearly spilling from the white lacy bra that could be seen through the opening of her shirt.

I found a smirk creeping across my face as I thought of the nurse in Hawaii. I guess I should be getting used to this, because I was sure it was going to happen a lot more. There was no denying that Carlos Manoso was an incredibly sexy and irresistible man. There was also no denying that he loved me and he was my husband. No matter how we got here I was determined to make this work.

"Yes, last name is Garcia." He smiled at her.

"Cesar?" She asked.

"Yes." He answered.

"That's a beautiful name." She gushed as she was typing on the keyboard.

"Your name is?" He asked.

"Gwen." She dipped her head to appear shy.

"Thank you Gwen." His voice was deep.

"I can upgrade you to the Jacuzzi suite if you like? It's available for the two nights you have booked for your stay." She offered.

"That sounds great." He shot her his 100 watt smile.

The woman swayed a little to the left as if she was weak on her feet. I watched as she backspaced the last words she had typed, if I had to venture a guess I would say that she had managed to tap in gibberish when she was blinded by his smile. She didn't even seem to notice I was there. She just kept typing away and glancing up at Ranger. She cooed over his driver's license.

"Wow, I never saw such a perfect driver's license picture. You look amazing." She purred.

When he handed her his black AmEx card her eyes lit up, cartoon dollar signs flashing in her eyes. She stuttered and dropped the card twice as she put it through the system. She set out the registration papers and seductively brushed across his fingers while she pointed where he was to sign and where he was supposed to initial. Finally, she handed him a single keycard as she waggled her eyebrows.

"I hope you won't have to try and enjoy the Jacuzzi alone." She fluttered her lashes.

"Don't worry about me Gwen, my wife will enjoy the massage she's going to get in that hot Jacuzzi." Ranger winked at her. "Can we get a second keycard for her?"

Gwen's mouth dropped down to the floor. She finally noticed me standing beside him. In her defense I hadn't been touching him and I was slightly behind him looking at the amazing lobby. Now she gasped as he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me to his side. She fumbled around for a moment before handing him the second card. He placed a gentle kiss on my temple and led me to the elevator bank.

**********************SMUT*********************

As soon as the doors closed he pushed me up against the wall and took possession of my lips. He dropped our bags as his hands grasped my hips. He lifted me off of my feet and pressed me into the wall with his body. I wrapped my legs around him and moaned into his mouth. The kiss became frantic as our tongues danced together. He ran his hands up and down the length of my body and I pressed into him. When he came up for air his lips went to my neck. I felt his soft lips pressing against me and then I felt his teeth. He bit into my neck and then his tongue darted out to sooth the red spot on my skin his teeth had released. I tilted my head to allow him more access and my hands flew to his back. I was clawing and grasping as we both panted. The elevator chimed to tell us we had arrived on the sixth floor. I unwrapped my legs and he gently set me on my feet. He rested his forehead against mine as we both tried to catch our breaths.

When the doors opened he grabbed our bags and took my hand, pulling me behind him. I practically had to jog as he tugged me down the hallway until we reached our room. He slid the key in the door and drew me in behind him. He tossed our bags into the room and turned to face me. I took a step back when I saw the look of hunger on his face. His pupils were black with desire and I continued to back up as he stalked towards me like a wild panther. As soon as my ass hit the door he cupped my face and moved in closer. Our faces were so close his nose skimmed mine. We were both panting but neither of us moved. He was examining my face and then his eyes flashed with a look of pure possession. He kissed my nose, my cheeks, my forehead; I closed my eyes as he kissed my eyelids.

Warm hands tilted my head and then released me as his lips pressed into my neck. He rained down open mouth kisses on every inch of my neck while his hands grasped mine and he pulled them high above my head.

"Stay" his husky voice whispered in my ear.

Warm fingers traced down my arms, I shivered and arched into him. I felt his nimble fingers glide over my collar bone and move down to my chest. Strong hands splayed out as he covered each breast. I felt his hands graze slowly over my breasts as his thumbs stroked my nipples through the soft cotton material of my shirt. He reached for the bottom of my t-shirt and slowly pulled it up my body and over my head.

Soft lips moved from my neck to my chest. Long fingers wrapped around my ribs and moved to my back. He unclasped my bra and tossed it behind him as his lips pulled a nipple into his mouth. I started to lower my arms and he pushed them back up above my head and harder against the door. Open mouthed kisses moved to my other nipple, I moaned out again. Searing hands set my skin on fire when he rubbed them across my stomach. Quick fingers moved to undo the button of my jeans. Tender teeth grazed my nipple before releasing it with a pop. A scorching tongue traced a fiery path to my stomach where the torturous kisses continued as he dropped down to his knees. I felt him lifting each foot to pull my shoes off, carelessly tossing them away and removing the pants from where they were wrapped around my ankles.

He kissed each hip as he slid my panties down. I was naked against the hard cold door with his lips burning a path back and forth from hip to hip. Steely fingers wrapped around my thighs and I gasped when he yanked my legs apart and dove into my center. His moves were so frenzied that I nearly collapsed when I felt his hot lips, scorching tongue and hard teeth on my swollen nub. I dropped my hands to his head and he pulled back. I looked down and met his eyes as he slowly shook his head back and forth. I moved my hands back up above my head and he attacked me again. Gentle teeth bit into one of my folds and my hips jerked forward.

"Carlos" I called out.

He wrapped his hands firmly around my body. I felt him forcefully grasp my ass and pull me forward into his mouth. He flattened his tongue and pressed it hard against my sweet parts. I quivered at the relentless tongue pushing deep inside my core; sending electric pulses through every tingling nerve. Forcing me to drop my head back and cry out in pleasure, but I didn't dare drop my arms. He removed his right hand as his left arm hugged my ass towards him. He pulled his face back and slid his middle finger up and down in between my folds. The firm finger glided easily in between my wet lips. He stopped at the top and began to vigorously rub against me just as he plunged his tongue deep inside of me, quickly setting me on edge. I wanted to grip his hair and pull him closer but I kept my arms high above my head and pressed into the wall.

"Yes. Yes. Don't stop." I panted.

I let him work my body and growled when his thick finger repeatedly pushed into me. His lips replaced his finger. I willingly gave over complete control to him and just focused on his touch and the pleasure he was evoking from me. He licked, kissed, sucked and nibbled, thrilling my body, making my heart pound, my breath race and sending wild throbbing zings of pleasure to every extremity. I got lost in the sensation; my body was tightening like a coil ready to spring.

"Oh my God."

I fell over the edge as pleasure shot through every inch of my body. He didn't stop, he didn't let up. It was too much for me. I dropped my hands and pulled at his hair. I was twisting and turning trying to escape the overwhelming painful pleasure. My eyes closed tight as my mouth fell open to release the long cry of delight emerging from deep inside me. My weak legs gave out and he gripped me tighter following me through the orgasm, continuing to lick me till I was on the other side. I was boneless as we slid down together. He kissed my thighs, my stomach, and my breasts as I melted down to my knees. He clasped me desperately to his chest, both of us on the floor, my arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

"I love you. I missed you. Don't ever walk away from me again." He breathed urgently. I just nodded, my ragged breathing making speech impossible.

We struggled to recover our control, his lips still placing soft kisses on my neck and face. He got up onto one foot and then the other, pulling me along with him. He wrapped his hands around my lower back, lifting me until my feet were hovering over the ground. I wrapped my legs around him and locked my ankles above his ass. He froze and moaned out when I jerked my hips forward and pressed into him. He quickly regained his wits and nearly ran to the bedroom with me wrapped around him like a koala on a tree.

He released me when we reached the bed and I jumped up onto the huge King Size bed. I crawled slowly up towards the headboard, hoping I looked half as sexy as I felt. I laid on my stomach, my head down on the pillows. I felt the bed dip and glanced over my shoulder. His eyes flashed with surprise when I beckoned him to me with my finger. His hands settled on my lower back and the heat from his hands soaked into my pores stroking the flames of my desire. I raised my backside up towards him, curving my body like a cat when I felt his hands stroke up to my shoulders. He was hard behind me as his warm body covered me completely. I felt his hot breath on my ear.

"Are you sure Steph?" He asked.

"I want it like this. I want you to take me from behind." I purred.

He groaned and leaned back as his hands traced down to my hips. I felt his thick erection press against me and I pushed back into him as he slid inside of my hot wet hole. I pressed back and he pushed in deeper filling me with his thickness. He stilled and I dragged my sizzling center forward and back impaling myself on him again. I could hear him grunting as I continued to move back and forth gliding along his hardness. My stomach tightened, my core clenched tight, gripping his erection.

"Babe." He grunted.

I picked up the pace and lost myself in the pleasure. I stretched my head back and craned my neck feeling the warmth flow through me. His strong hands pushed down on my lower back and my entire body shuddered when I felt the change of angle. I gasped when I felt him drive deep into me. Suddenly I was building up higher and higher burning up with my want for him. Up until this point he had been allowing me to do the work and set the pace. Again he drove into me hard and I propelled my needy heat back to meet his every thrust. I felt my body tighten up and forced myself to keep my hips pushing back against him as I abruptly exploded with my release. He gripped me tighter and slid me forward and back feverishly over his thickness. His grunts and groans excited me and I soon felt myself crying out and throbbing through another orgasm.

"God yes." I hissed

He snapped his hips forward hard and then held still for a second before snapping them forward again. He let out long groans as he exploded inside me, hot liquid firing deep into me. My sex was so sensitive I was squealing as he pulled us both through the explosions that were erupting through us. My knees buckled and I fell forward onto my stomach as he followed me down and rested on top of me. His hands were at my sides supporting his weight as he dropped kisses in between my shoulder blades. Our bodies were hot and covered with sweat. His tongue pushed past his lips as he tasted the salty beads of sweat along my back.

********************END SMUT******************************

He kissed my back one last time and then pulled himself over until he was beside me. I turned my head on the pillow so I could look at his gorgeous face and greeted him with a smile. He reached out and pushed a stray strand of hair behind my ear and I closed my eyes, reveling in his soft touch. I scooted closer to him and he pulled me into his arms. I rested my cheek on his chest as he gathered me closer to his side.

"I love you." I bit down into my lower lip.

"I love you too Babe, so much. Thank you for your trust." He whispered.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You rarely allow me to take you from behind." He explained.

"Why?" I wondered.

"You constantly felt the need to announce that you didn't do 'butt stuff'. I assumed that one of the men in your life had tried to force it on you. You never really came out and discussed it with me but I believe it was the main reason you never want to have sex doggy style. It is always a big show of trust to me when you let me take you from behind. The first time you allowed that was in Hawaii." He informed me.

 _I saw black dots and then a flash of light. I was in bed with the man I now knew as my ex-husband Dickie. We were lying side by side facing each other naked under the covers, I felt myself keeping my lower body away from him, pushing my ass out to the point where I was almost bent in half._

" _Come on Steph, let's just try it. If you don't like it we can stop." He rubbed my cheek with the back of his hand._

" _No, I don't want to." I shook my head._

" _What the hell? I am your husband. You expect me to just do it missionary in the bed with the lights out for the rest of my life?" He pulled away and fell onto his back._

" _We've been married for two months and you're already bored with our sex life?" I asked._

" _I just thought once we got married you would get over your prude 'lights out' shit and turn into my own little whore." He turned to me and raised his eyebrows as a sneer came over his face._

" _Then you made the wrong choice marrying me. I'm never going to be your whore." I told him._

"It is my fault he cheated." I announced when I opened my eyes.

"What?" Ranger asked me but I was already lost to another vision.

" _Come here Cupcake." Morelli purred._

 _I was on all fours on his bed, he had a hand on my lower back gently rubbing. I felt his hard erection at my entrance. He stroked it up and down my wet folds and then I felt it touch my butthole._

" _Wrong hole." I told him._

" _Aww come on Cupcake. Let's try it." He pleaded._

" _No Joe." I was adamant._

" _Fine." He blew out._

 _He slammed into me hard and deep. I felt my body jerk forward from the pain. I wasn't very wet and it burned to have him pull my skin when he moved in and out. He pulled out and lined up at the wrong hole again as he started to press in._

" _Joe!" I yelled._

" _Oh sorry. It was an accident." He lied._

 _He pushed into my core again and slapped my ass hard. "That's it Steph be my whore."_

" _Stop." I tried to pull away._

" _That's it, fight it, pretend you don't like it." He slapped me harder on my backside._

" _Ouch. We never even discussed this." I complained. "I'm not comfortable with this, I don't want it."_

" _Just freaking enjoy it and quit being such a prude." He commanded._

 _He stroked in and out of me several times then again lined up at the wrong hole, this time slightly pushing in. I jumped away and off of the bed. He sat back onto his heels with his hard member in his hand._

" _You're just going to leave me like this?" He asked._

" _I'm not into this tonight." I picked up my shirt._

" _You're never into this, no wonder Dickie cheated." He murmured._

" _Excuse me?" I asked._

" _Nothing." He shook his head._

" _What the fuck did you just say?" I glared._

" _Every man wants a lady on the street and a freak in the bed. You have to learn to try new things and be a little slutty from time to time." He began to stroke himself._

" _We didn't even discuss it. You didn't even ask me if I wanted to try. You didn't give me a chance to ask questions or get comfortable with the idea. You can't just try to shove it in my ass." I yelled._

" _Say that again." He stroked himself faster. "You're so hot when you're pissed off."_

" _You're a sick man Morelli." I searched for my pants._

 _He jumped out of the bed and pulled me into a hug. I tried to wriggle free from his arms but it only seemed to excite him more. He pulled me back onto the bed and shoved me down face first. My feet dangled off of the bed and my legs were trapped between his. He bent over me and began to slide his dick between my reddened cheeks. I tried to claw my way across the bed but he grabbed my hair and wrapped it around his fist pulling my head towards him._

" _Joe stop please." I begged._

" _Calm the fuck down. I'm not going to fuck your precious virgin asshole. But I am going to be able to lay claim to the fact that I am fucking your ass." He slapped me hard._

" _Quit slapping me." I ordered._

 _He squeezed my cheeks tight together and continued to stroke his dick in between them. Finally I just gave up and laid there as I waited for him to finish. When the moaning started I was grateful because I knew it was almost over. He grunted as I felt his dick jerk against me and a warm wetness shot onto my back. He pulled his weight off of me as he shot more of his warm sperm on my ass cheeks. I had to fight the natural gag that tried to escape from my throat._

 _When he was spent he collapsed onto the bed and I jumped up and darted into the bathroom. I locked the door and turned on the shower. I turned it as hot as it would go, not caring that the hot water was scalding my skin. I wanted his fluids and his smell off of me. My ass still hurt and I knew it wasn't going to be easy to sit tomorrow. My tears mixed with the water as I scrubbed at my skin. I took the fastest shower ever and then quietly opened the door. He was face down on the bed, hairy ass in the air snoring away like a chainsaw. I quickly got dressed and ran from the room._

"You're right." I told Ranger.

"Right?" His brows furrowed.

"Dickie wanted it and I'm sure he used that as an excuse to cheat and Morelli…" I trailed off.

"What about him? Did he hurt you Babe?" He tensed as he waited for my response.

"He didn't get it in my butt but he…damn what the hell was wrong with me to stay with him?" He moved to hug me but I held up my hands to keep him away. "No Carlos, I'm serious. What the hell was wrong with me?"

"I have to share some of that blame. I told you he loved you, I told you he was a good cop; I thought he would make you happy. I encouraged you to fix your relationship with him. As time went on I suspected little things were wrong but I never imagined." He shook his head. "Was it another memory of him abusing you?"

"He didn't rape me or anything. It was just rough sex and him trying to put it in my butt and smacking my ass too hard. I told him to stop but he honestly thought I liked it and kept going." I laid back onto the pillow.

"You told him to stop?" Ranger gently grabbed my chin and turned me to face him.

"Yeah of course. We didn't discuss it first so I wasn't comfortable with him suddenly trying to do stuff, so I asked him to stop." I rolled my eyes.

"That is rape Steph." He pulled me into his arms.

"You can't rape someone you're in a sexual relationship with. I mean he wasn't beating me or handcuffing me. I cried after but not during." I explained.

"Stephanie, my love, mi amore, please listen to me. It's not right how you were raised. An 8 year old fingering a 6 year old isn't right. You shouldn't have been punished, you were molested. You were a victim. Charges should have been pressed. Don't even get me started on the Tasty Pastry thing. You were under age, so right there its statutory rape. You never consented from what you have described to me. He just took your virginity and left. You were raised in a culture that calls sex by force a woman's duty. A culture that excuses physical abuse as passion." He shook his head.

"Wow. That's really screwed up. I don't want any part of it anymore." I felt tears threatening to fall.

"I've got you Babe. You're with me now and I'm going to protect you from that crap. Just stay with me and trust in me." He pleaded.

"I trust you with my life." I confided.

"There's no one I trust more than you." He kissed my head.

"I'm only going to say this once because I'm not going to be that girl that lives in fear of losing her man. Don't walk out on me or try to push me towards someone else again Carlos. I don't care what the threat is or how evil the person may be who is after me or you." I warned him.

"mmmm" he kissed my head again.

"What?" I asked.

"You called me Carlos, Babe." His lips pressed into my hair.

"It's your name. I don't think your wife should call you by your street name." I shrugged.

"And I won't Steph. I won't do it again. You're better protected with me than with anyone else." He promised.

"We have to talk about Morelli, the gun shot and my apartment in the morning." I reminded him as I closed my eyes.

"In the morning." He confirmed.

I woke up all tangled up in Carlos, my leg over both of his with my knee resting on his thighs. I stretched and moaned out a yawn before the smile spread across my face. I snuggled up tight into his side and he kissed my forehead. I glanced at the clock and saw it was only six o'clock, way too early for me to be awake.

"Last night was…" I blew out a deep breath, "amazing."

"That's how it is between us Babe. It's not physical release, not even close. It's so much more. I never knew what making love was until you." He stroked my back with his firm hand.

"Are you always so sweet?" I wondered.

"No, not at all. I was an ass to you for a long time. I didn't tell you most of what I felt or thought. I told you once that you had all of the power and that was the closest I ever came to confessing to you just what you meant to me." He admitted.

"It makes me feel special when you do tell me." I kissed his cheek.

"I can't tell you how relieved I am that you remember that first conversation in Hawaii." He squeezed me.

"Is there more? More moments where things changed between us?" I asked.

"Yes. There are some discussions we had, and also some activities I wish you would remember." He told me

"Bedroom activities?" I asked him.

"Those too. But no, that's not what I was talking about. I want you to remember the vow ceremony too, that's important to me." He confided.

"What if it never comes?" I was nervous.

"We'll make new ones." He kissed me again.

"And the ceremony?" I asked him.

"We'll have a new one." He pulled me closer.

"Were you worried when I left?" I asked.

"I can't even begin to describe how I felt. My biggest fear was you disappearing and serving me with divorce papers." He held his breath. "You taking off the rings without really understanding what they mean to us."

"Why are you so adamant about the rings? Do you have a tracker in them?" I was concerned.

"No Stephanie. It had nothing to do with that. They are the biggest expression of my love; I didn't just buy them for the case." He admitted.

"What?" I was confused.

"I had them in my safe for a long time." He confessed.

"For the woman you would one day choose?" I asked.

"For you. They've always been for you. Shortly after my daughter was kidnapped I was inspecting a jewelry store that wanted an alarm system. I saw the engagement ring and I immediately thought of you. A perfect diamond nestled between two sapphires shining as bright and blue as your beautiful eyes. I made the stones bigger of course, but I bought it hoping someday…" He told me.

"And the wedding bands?" I questioned.

"I stumbled upon them on a trip to Newark to help my brother find a ring for his fiancée shortly after you attacked me in the Porsche." He chuckled.

I giggled and pressed my lips against his cheek making loud kissing noises. His phone rang and Ranger reached for the nightstand to answer it. He didn't say a word as he got up and left the bed. I watched his amazing ass cross the room as he grabbed his black cargo pants and pulled them on. He zipped them up but left the button open. I closed my eyes and felt a smile spread across my face as memories of last night flitted through my mind. We made love so many times in so many different ways. I knew in my heart everything was going to be okay. I pulled myself out of the bed and took my sore body to the bathroom.

I came out wrapped in a big fluffy towel and noticed Ranger was off the phone and playing with the controls on the hot tub. He smiled at me and curled his finger to beckon me to him. I moved to him and he pulled me into a warm kiss. His arm wrapped around my shoulders and when he took his lips from mine he buried his face in my neck. He nuzzled his ear in my hair and let out a deep breath. He pulled away but kept his arm around me.

"You gonna tell me about the phone call?" I asked.

He nodded. "That was Hector on the phone."

"What's going on?" I pulled back further to get a better view of his face.

"Hector decided to look into Morelli's phone history and he found something interesting. Morelli exchanged several calls with a Private Investigator in Hawaii." He placed his hand into the water to test the temperature.

"He wanted to have us watched when I got out of the hospital?" I asked.

"No Steph, he hired him before. He was watching you from the second you landed." Ranger explained.

"Wow. I am amazed at how sick the relationship I had with him was, every time I learn something new." I shook my head.

"Let's get in; you looked sore walking to the bathroom." Ranger smirked as he slid the towel away from my body.

"Proud of yourself, aren't you?" I asked.

"Maybe." He teased.

I rolled my eyes as I watched him climb into the steaming water. He held out a hand and helped me climb over the edge and tugged me into his side. He kissed me and then pushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I laid back with my head against the molded side and let the hot water sooth my aches. Ranger turned on the jets and I jerked when I felt the hot streams massage my back. I settled back and closed my eyes.

"How did Hector find out about all of this?" I asked.

"Once he traced the number to the PI he jumped on a plane to Hawaii. He got there two days ago and found the detective's office empty. He went back at night and went through everything." His voice was laced with anger.

"And?" I was curious.

"The PI is missing. Hector is still following some leads there. He won't leave until he gets information on where this guy is. His name is Bane Kalani." He informed me.

I jerked my head up. "Bane? You have to be kidding me!"

"Why?" He was confused.

"Bane is a Batman enemy." I giggled.

"Only you Babe. Bane is actually a popular Hawaiian name. Anyway he is missing, but Hector is set on finding him at all costs." He moved across from me.

"Why is this guy so important to Hector?" I asked.

"His files on you were very thorough." Ranger pulled my feet into his lap.

"How so?" I shivered as he took a foot into his strong hands and started massaging it.

"He took notes on where you were every minute of each day. In his back room it was like a shrine. He had pictures of you. Pictures of you alone, with me and …" He trailed off.

"And?" I pushed.

"Any romantic pics of us were photo-shopped to have his face replace mine." He pushed his thumbs hard against the ball of my foot.

"What the hell?" I had a disgusted look on my face.

"It's obvious he became obsessed with you while he was watching you for Morelli." He rubbed harder.

"Well, thank you Joe fucking Morelli." I tried to let his touch relax me.

"Hector will find him." Ranger assured me.

"What if he's here? What if that was him last night that took the shot at us?" I asked.

"Babe, we need to put our heads together and get together a list of possibilities." He took my other foot in his hands.

I held up my fist and then ticked off each name with a finger. "Morelli, Bane, the Rug, whoever the Rug hired and maybe someone we don't even know about."

"We'll sort it out Babe." He promised.

"I don't want to hide forever Rang…Carlos. Luca gave me some good advice and I am ready to confront both Morelli and my mother." I told him firmly.

"If you're sure then I will support you however you need me to. I will stand at your side or wait a few feet away but there is no way I can leave you alone with either one of them Steph." I started to protest. "Please. I can't handle it if anything happens to you. I don't want you hurt physically or emotionally. I finally have you."

When he said 'please' something stirred inside of me, and I felt a tingle move through my stomach. "You don't use that word much do you?"

"What word?" He played innocent.

"Please." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I don't make requests, I issue orders. My team works as a unit and I am the commander." He stated.

"But sometimes with me you request?" I asked.

"Yes Babe, for you I try to request as much as I can. My biggest struggle was never admitting we already had a relationship. I also struggle with trying to protect you and allow you to keep your independence. Jeez!" He smacked his palm to his forehead. "Like I just said allow you. I love you Babe and I just need you to understand what I'm used to and that I am trying to change my approach, at least with you."

"Now that you're my husband I don't think I have any other choice here but to deal with you." I winked at him. "If you can admit it and try to change, I can accept it."

"Are we going to tell Morelli we're legally married?" He asked me.

I shrugged. "It's going to come out in the conversation, unless you don't want me to."

He laughed. "If it was up to me I would put up a billboard announcing you are mine. I would hire a skywriter to fly over the Burg spelling out 'Stephanie Manoso is mine'."

"Wow. That's very possessive." I flirted.

"I am a possessive man and I finally have the woman I want." He winked at me.

I vaulted off the side of the hot tub wall and moved to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and settled myself in his lap. He raised both eyebrows and grabbed my hips.

"Don't get any ideas. I am still sore." I giggled. "I finally find a man who can keep up with me and he breaks me."

"Babe." He laughed.

"So how long are we here?" I asked him.

"I am thinking one more night and then back to Trenton. I don't necessarily think it's safe for you yet, but I also don't think we are going to get any info if you are in hiding." He admitted.

"So you want to use me for bait?" I asked him.

"Stephanie." He warned. "I will keep you safe, you're not bait. We just need people to know you are around and living your life."

"I am just teasing you. I get it Carlos and I know you will keep me safe." I bit down on the inside of my lip. "Are you going to be mad if I call you Ranger in front of the guys or keep slipping and forgetting to call you Carlos?"

"No Babe. I don't expect it to change overnight. I do especially like to hear it in the bedroom." He raised a flirty eyebrow.

"You like to hear me scream anything in bed." I teased.

"As long as it's only one of my names." He warned.

"I'll do my best." I giggled.

We ordered room service for breakfast and I pulled on a pair of boxer shorts from my bag and his t-shirt. I was a bit distracted by the sexy man walking around in only his cargo pants but my body was too sore to do anything right now. Tonight, I promised myself. We both made needed to make phone calls. Ranger sat down in the chair at the desk and I laid down on the bed. I had to use the hotel room phone and struggled to remember the numbers I needed. I finally got Carlos' phone and wrote down the numbers I wanted to call. I started out with the number I knew best. I called Hector to hear straight from him what he found in Hawaii. I called my parents and told them I would be there for dinner on Friday. That gave me two days to figure out what I was going to say to them. I called Luca next.

"Hello." He answered.

"Hey Luca." I greeted him.

"So glad to hear your voice. Are you okay?" He sounded relieved.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Any information?" I asked.

"No, we found nothing. No leads at all on the shooter." He sighed.

"It's okay, there was another lead." I told him.

"Yes, your men are keeping me in the loop." He assured me.

"Good." I could hear Anna in the background. "Can I talk to her?"

"Sure Steph. Hey Anna, Stephanie wants to talk to you." Luca told the little girl.

"Hello Stephanie." Anna took the phone.

"Hey Anna. How are you?" I asked.

"Good. I want to go to the American Girl Café'." She informed me.

"I'm sure your daddy will take you." I tried to comfort her.

"He said yes, but I don't want that. All of my friends are going with their mommies." She whined.

"When?" I asked.

"Daddy when is the café trip?" She hollered. "Two weeks he says."

"Would you like your big sister Steph to go with you?" I offered.

"I don't have a big … Oh ." It clicked with her. "That would be perfect."

"It sounds like fun." I smiled.

"Okay daddy says we have to go to school." And she hung up.

"More crap phone manners." I whispered as I shook my head.

"All okay Babe?" Ranger called out.

"Yes dear." I teased.

I glanced over at him on the phone and he shook his head, there may have even been a slight eye roll. God, I love this man and I had to trust him. I had to believe he had seen the light when it comes to us. After all there is no way to absolutely guarantee any relationship, you have to make the decision to give it all you have or walk away. I am done walking away. I smiled at him and then dialed Morelli's number.

"Cupcake." He practically yelled.

"Joe." I acknowledged.

"Are you ready to talk to me? This is fucking torture." He was obviously aggravated.

"I'm sorry but I wasn't ready. I had a lot going on, but I'm ready now." I tried to calm him.

"Where are you?" He asked.

"I'll be home tomorrow." I explained.

"Where is home?" He asked.

I hesitated. "Trenton"

"Where are you now?" He inquired.

"Joe don't. You know I needed time on my own." I reminded him.

"Why do I think that your alone time includes Manoso?" Morelli challenged.

"I don't know why you think that Joe." I sighed.

"Because he is always up your ass, always trying to control you. I gotta tell you I am still a little pissed about you refusing to see me when you were at that guy's house. Is this someone else I need to worry about?" He asked.

"Luca is a friend. Joe, in Hawaii he saved my life." I explained.

"So why couldn't you talk to me?" He sounded defeated.

"I just wasn't ready. This is hard on me. I am still having memory flashes but I don't have the whole story. I don't have complete memories of everything." I told him.

"So then what do you want to talk about?" He asked.

"I need to ask you some questions about us. Some questions about things I have remembered." I informed him.

"Memories or ideas that have been put into your head?" He asked.

"Memories Joe. My memories." I glared at the phone.

"Okay Cupcake. I have first shift tomorrow. I'll be off at three. Do you want to do dinner?" He offered.

"Dinner sounds good." I acknowledged.

"How about we meet at my mom's house at five?" He asked.

"Really?" I was shocked.

"You want to do my house or Rossini's instead?" He asked.

"No, that's fine. I was just caught off guard. I didn't think your mom liked me all that much." I shrugged.

"She loves you Steph. At first of course she didn't think you or anyone else was good enough for her baby." He had an annoyed tone in his voice.

"Oh okay." I replied.

"See you tomorrow and please take care of yourself and be smart." He ordered.

"I will." I nodded to myself.

"I love you Cupcake." He told me.

"See you tomorrow." I disconnected.

"You made the arrangements to talk to Morelli?" Ranger asked.

"Yes and strangely enough he wants to meet at his mom's house for dinner." I shrugged. "So I guess you can wait in the car for that one."

"Not gonna happen. I trust her about as much as I trust her son. His grandmother Bella and his mom would hide a body for him without a question." He told me.

"Your family would do the same for you, wouldn't they?" I asked.

"I don't think so. I am sure my parents would have a heart to heart talk on why I should turn myself in if it wasn't something justified." He informed me.

"Justified?" I questioned.

"Morally necessary." He clarified.

"Who decides if it's morally necessary?" I asked.

"If it involves anyone trying to hurt you in any way it is morally necessary." He pulled me into him and I was speechless.

There was a knock at the door. "Room service."

I moved away to head for the door, but Ranger grabbed my arm and shook his head. I watched him cross the room and grab his gun from the nightstand. He slid it into the back of his cargos and then nodded at me. I had gone from happiness to fear in less than a second. I was excited to eat but now nervous to open the door. I walked slowly as Ranger moved to hide behind a wall near the door. There was a loud pounding knock again.

"Room service." The deep male voice called out.

I took a deep breath and pulled myself up to my full height. I pushed my shoulders back and tried to relax and dig down for courage or at least some false bravado. I smiled at Ranger and he nodded for me to open the door. I watched my hand shake slightly as I reached out and twisted the handle. I pulled the door open slowly and looked straight ahead. There was a tray but no one was with it. I stood on my tip toes and looked down at the tray. Metal dome over what I presumed was the hot food. Fresh fruit, milk, water and orange juice surrounded the dome. I leaned my head out the door and looked to my right and left quickly. I froze when I looked to the left. I stepped out into the hallway and my hands flew to my hips as I shot my best glare at him.

"YOU!" I exclaimed.

*******************************THANK YOU*******************************

Thank you for taking the time to write a review. I truly appreciate every single word.

Thanks Jenn- you ROCK!

 _Donna said:  
I am a little confused, though. Were they on Oahu or the Big Island (Hawai'i)? The main airlines go into Oahu and that's where all the large resorts are. Honolulu, Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, etc. Your Pololu Lookout is on the Big Island with the active volcano. Just wondering so I can get that location straight in my head._  
 **My answer:** You're right! Pololu Lookout is on the big island I meant Makapu'u Lookout on Oahu. The previous chapter has been updated to reflect for pointing it out to me.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19-

Ranger flew past me and had his gun pressed into the temple of our hidden intruder. He held both hands high above his head. "No need to hit me with the death glare Beautiful."

"You should worry more about the gun pointed at your head." Ranger warned him.

"Nah, she's much more dangerous. That's not your typical resting bitch face, that's her 'wish a bitch would' face." Lester shook his head.

"Lester." I growled.

"Get inside." Ranger ordered. "And grab the tray."

Ranger tucked his gun into the small of his back and swung his arm around my shoulders as he guided me back into the room. Once we were back inside safely I exhaled a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding. His hand dropped to rub my back as he kissed my forehead. Lester pushed the tray into the room and let the door close behind him. Ranger narrowed his eyes and Lester moved the tray over by the small table and chairs and set out everything onto the table. I settled myself into the seat and uncovered the pancakes and bacon I had ordered. Lester's hand came past my eyes as he reached for a strip of bacon and I quickly slapped it away.

"Ouch." He pouted.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ranger asked him.

"Hector sent me with pictures he wants Steph to look at." He pulled a folder from his jacket.

"Well, why didn't you stand in front of the door like a normal person? Why were you hiding off to the side?" I asked. "You scared the crap out of me."

"I was just trying to play with Ranger." Lester stepped towards me.

"Well playing with Ranger almost got you shot." I shook my head.

"You wouldn't let anything happen to me beautiful." He kissed the top of my head while he set a large white envelope beside me.

I covered the pancakes with syrup and cut a piece that was probably too big for my mouth. I forked it into my mouth before I opened the envelope. I pulled out the set of pictures held inside and immediately recognized the first picture. The man was tall and muscular with permanently tan skin and bright white teeth. I remembered seeing him when I first arrived in Hawaii.

" _Excuse me." The man bumped into me as he reached for his suitcase._

" _Sure, no problem." I rolled my eyes._

 _I had been standing at the baggage carousel for a few minutes waiting for my bag. I didn't know why this guy was right next to me when the area wasn't very crowded. He must be one of those people that stands at the opening and feels the need to get his bag before it makes the trip around, probably paranoid someone else might pick it up. I was annoyed but still found myself curiously looking over at him. He was tall and full of muscles. He took off his sunglasses and gave me one of the whitest smiles I had ever seen. He didn't have Ranger's wattage but he was pretty dang close. His teeth stood out against his bronzed skin, but it was his blue eyes that caught my attention. I felt my mouth drop open as I got caught in his eyes. This was a very attractive man._

" _I'm really sorry. I was preoccupied." He explained._

" _I understand." I shrugged._

" _Here on vacation?" He asked._

" _Yes. How about you?" I asked._

" _No, I live on the island. Just getting back from visiting family." He was checking the tag on a bag._

" _That's nice." I spotted my bag._

" _Is that your bag?" He noticed my head turn._

" _Yeah." I started reaching towards my navy blue hard sided suitcase._

" _I got it." He grabbed the bag._

" _Thank you." I told him when he set it down beside me._

" _My pleasure. Hope it makes up for me shoving you earlier, at least a little bit." He made a tiny space between his thumb and pointer finger._

" _That it does." I chuckled. "I appreciate it."_

" _What's your name?" He asked._

" _Stephanie. And yours?" I was polite._

" _Bane." He smiled._

" _Bane? For real?" I asked._

" _Yeah I know." He rolled his eyes. "I don't wear the whole jock strap looking thing over my mouth."_

 _I laughed and he joined in. "Good to know."_

" _Can I take you to lunch?" He asked._

" _I really need to get checked in to my hotel." I explained._

 _I struggled to pull the handle out from the back of the bag. Bane smirked as he bent over and gently placed his hand over mine. I jerked my hand away and he pulled the handle out for me. I nodded a thank you and began to turn away. He stopped me by grabbing my arm. I looked down at this hand and he immediately released me as a pink rose in his cheeks. I looked up into his eyes prepared to unleash my rhino mode on him, but stopped._

" _Dinner then?" He asked._

 _Behind him something caught my eye, bright red hair. I kept peering over his shoulder to watch the woman rushing by. She had an oversized beach bag and nothing else. She wore big sunglasses and her bright red hair that verged on orange was teased up high. She was wearing long white shorts that my grandmother would wear with a lime green tank top. Tootie Ruguzzi. Holy crap! The Rug's wife was in Hawaii. That meant he must be in Hawaii. He had been FTA for years, rumors had him buried beside Jimmy Hoffa. His bond is huge and I have the opportunity to collect it. Damn, I need to follow her._

" _Sorry, I have to go. Nice meeting you." I told Bane as I ran off._

" _Wait." He called after me._

"Shit!" I exclaimed when I opened my eyes.

"You recognize someone?" Lester asked as Ranger came to my side.

"It's him. Bane." I dropped the picture on the table.

"The PI?" Lester asked.

"Yeah, he bumped into me as soon as I arrived. We met at the baggage claim. He asked me out to lunch and then dinner but I saw Tootie and ran off. I should have remembered this when you told me his name. Come on who has a name like Bane? It should have stuck out more in my memory." I sunk into my seat.

"You didn't know." Ranger patted my shoulder.

"But I should have." I heaved out a sigh.

"I keep forgetting you are still missing so many memories Babe. You've regained a lot but you still have so much more to recover." He rubbed my shoulder.

"You still haven't remembered how much you love me Beautiful." Lester winked.

"Are you sure I ever even liked you?" I scrubbed my hands across my face.

"Ouch, that hurts my feelings." Lester joked.

"I'm just frustrated. You're all wasting so much time on this crap and I probably have so many clues in my head. I am too busy running away and throwing a tantrum like a two-year-old." I kept my head down.

"If it's any consolation Beautiful I would run from this guy too." He jerked his thumb towards Ranger.

I brought my head up and shot him a glare. He held both hands up in surrender and then his expression changed. The joking smirk was replaced by a loving smile. He winked at me and moved closer, pulling me out of my chair and into a hug. I accepted his embrace, but then released him to get back to the pictures and my pancakes. I was still feeling like a bit of a failure and like I was unable to contribute to the team.

"No one blames you Steph. It must be very confusing to wake up missing your memories. Finding out you are married to one guy and supposedly engaged to another can't be easy to accept. No matter what idiotic things this guy has said to you I can tell you he loves you." Lester was serious.

"Santos." Ranger warned.

"Thanks." I said to Lester

I looked up at Ranger who had placed his hand back on my shoulder. I put my hand over his and squeezed it before I released it. I started thumbing through the rest of the pictures. There was a picture of Ranger and I on the beach. He was wearing black swim trunks with his amazing tan and muscular chest on full display. He was lying on a towel propped up on one elbow facing me with a huge smile on his face. I was lying on my back next to him in a red bikini. My mouth was open so I was obviously talking. Ranger leaned over my shoulder and took the picture from my hands.

"You were telling me about a time at Point Pleasant with Mary Lou when you were growing up" Ranger stated.

"You look happy." I told him.

"Look at the beautiful woman next to me. How could I not be?" Ranger kissed the top of my head.

"Aww aren't you two so sweet?" Lester teased

"Don't be jealous." I stuck out my tongue.

"I can think of things for you to do with…" Lester began as Ranger slapped him in the back of his head.

"That's my wife Santos." He growled.

"Sorry I forgot. Does this mean no more flirting? No more calling you Beautiful?" Lester pouted.

"I think the flirting is off the table." I told him.

"You can call her Mrs. Manoso." Ranger suggested.

"I'll stick with Beautiful." Lester scrunched up his nose.

"Just watch it." Ranger advised.

"So, have you decided? You gonna stay married to this guy? Because if not I want a say in who gets me in the divorce." Lester asked me.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm pretty sure I am going to stay married to this guy. As a matter of fact I need to call Hector so I can start changing my name on my driver's license and stuff." I smiled.

"Plum-Manoso?" Lester asked.

"No." I shook my head. "Just Manoso."

"Babe"

I looked up at him and he leaned down to kiss my lips. He pulled the next picture from my hand before I could see it. I watched him as he studied the picture, walking across the room. He stopped in front of the window and leaned against the frame. I supposed he was using the sunlight to view the picture better. His face was relaxed and his lips held a warm smile. His eyes drifted up and looked out the window like he was staring off into space. This seemed like something he wasn't even capable of. I crossed over to him and stood beside him and waited. He glanced my way and passed the picture to me.

We were on the beach again. This time he was wearing grey swim trunks and I had on a blue and white striped bikini. I was sitting in a bright blue beach chair. It was one of those low chairs you could place by the water. Ranger was in between my legs holding a book in his hands.

" _Keep going." I encouraged him._

" _I think it's getting too intense for you Babe." Ranger teased._

 _I pushed my sunglasses further up on my nose and was glad he was looking at the book and couldn't see how I had been biting down on my bottom lip while he was reading. It was hot enough under the sun as it was as. Add in this gorgeous man in between my legs reading a vampire romance and I was nearly melting. He tilted his head to look up at me and I smiled down at him. I reached down and ran my hand through his thick hair, shorter than when I first met him but now his usual length for the business man he had become. He moved his right arm and it was now resting over my thigh with his elbow in the sand. The left hand held the book as his head rested just below my breasts._

" _Just read it already. We're half way through the love scene." I urged him._

 _He cleared his throat and peered down at the book._

" _Gabriel chuckled, and, kissing me with a gentleness that seemed impossible given our foreplay activities, he moved into me, testing how much I could take. I grabbed at his hips, needing more. He reared back and sank his fangs into my throat, thrusting up until he was completely inside me. He drank from my throat as he moved slowly, timing each thrust to draw out the pleasant ache I felt every time he came back to me. I brought his wrist to my lips and sank my teeth into the spot just under his palm, all the while staring him down. It was a dark starburst on the tongue, singing to my senses in a way bottled blood never could. It was the sensation of his blood flooding my system that pushed me over the edge. My fingernails bit into his shoulders as I convulsed around him._

 _"Mine," he whispered to my skin. "Mine. Mine. "_

 _I lay there, boneless and sated, while he began moving in earnest, reaching for his own climax. Each stroke was more forceful, driving me into the floor. Using what strength I had, I pushed back, forcing him to work harder, fight for control. Eyes lit with some awful pride, he finally shook under me. He leaned his forehead against mine as his body stilled._

 _Ranger paused his reading and I sucked in my breath. He set down the book and stroked my thigh as he moved up my body. He kissed my neck and gave it a little bite as I gasped. He pressed a kiss against my neck and I felt them turn up into a smile when I tilted my head to the side._

" _Mine" he growled into my neck._

" _You would make a very sexy vampire." I purred as he pulled back to look at me._

" _And if I was I would definitely be your sire." He linked eyes with me and melted my bottoms with the fire in his eyes._

" _We need to practice biting." I teased as I pushed his head into my neck._

" _Let's go back to our place." He whispered in my ear._

" _Yes." I was breathless._

"Jane and Gabriel? Is that what you were remembering?" I asked out loud as my eyes opened.

"Yes." Ranger's smile lit up the room.

He reached out and pressed his fingers into the side of my face as his lips covered mine. I parted my lips the second I felt his tongue press against them. His fingers stroked my cheek as his tongue stroked mine. I moaned into his mouth as my fingers wrapped around his tight black t-shirt.

"Unless you're going to include me, you two need to take it easy with the PDA." Lester shook his head.

"PDA?" I was curious.

"Public displays of affection. Ranger doesn't do them." Lester downed a glass of Orange Juice.

"Carlos does." I winked at Lester and turned my head to pull my husband down for a deeper kiss.

"Only for my wife." Ranger whispered when I released the back of his head.

"Come on! Are you two always going to be like this now?" Lester got up.

I jumped away from Ranger and charged at him, giving him a big hug. I was wiggling our bodies back and forth. Cooing and giggling as I hugged him tightly. He half- heartedly pushed me away.

"You're going to get me killed beautiful." He smirked.

"Just trying to make you feel included." I laughed.

"Okay, okay. Look at the rest of the pictures or Hector will stab me." Lester chuckled as he pretended to push me away again.

"Yes sir." I saluted him.

"Always a comedian." Lester followed me back to the table.

I ate some more of my pancakes while Ranger grabbed a bagel. He walked and ate as he sent text messages and checked e-mail. Lester pulled up a second dome of hot food from the second shelf of the cart. It had sausage and eggs. I grabbed a sausage before he could bat my hand away. I waited until I finished eating before I inspected the rest of the pictures. There was a picture of Ranger and me at a luau. He was feeding me a piece of pineapple and even though the camera wasn't close I could still see that his eyes were dilated. There were some pictures of me alone, through a fence. I was on a patio it seemed, but I couldn't tell where I was exactly.

"Carlos, where is this?" I asked him.

He was standing beside me when I handed him the picture. I watched his face to see his reaction and was alarmed when his expression suddenly went dark. He held his hand out and I passed over the rest of the stack. He thumbed through them and then stopped. He grabbed the top of the chair beside me to steady himself. He squeezed it so hard his knuckles turned white. I hadn't witnessed this side of Ranger before.

"Fucker." He growled under his breath.

"What?" I asked.

"Son of a bitch." Ranger turned and walked away from me.

"Ranger…Carlos." I moved toward him.

"What's wrong?" Lester asked.

"Pictures of Steph." Ranger mumbled.

"Where am I in the pictures? Where were they taken?" I felt the anger steam off of him.

"Has to be a special lens. The beach was private I checked it." Ranger shook his head.

"What is it?" Lester asked.

Ranger dropped his head. "Sunbathing topless and using the outside shower to get sand off."

"Oh my God." My hand flew to cover my mouth.

"It's only your backside in the shower Babe." He tried to comfort me.

"Only?" I screeched.

"You know what I mean." His voice pleading for understanding.

"I know but…What the hell? Why?" I muttered.

"It's okay." He pulled me into his arms. "It's all going to be okay."

I closed my eyes and took in his strength. "I don't mean to get upset."

"You have every right." Ranger told me.

"We're going to get this asshole." Lester swore.

"When will things be normal?" I asked to no one in particular.

"This is kind of how things always are Beautiful. Not this bad of course. There's always a mystery to be solved. We're kind of like the Scooby Doo gang, but you're our Daphne and Velma all rolled into one." Lester gave a shrug.

"I don't even know what to say to that." I shook my head.

"We need to send the message that no one messes with Mrs. Manoso." Lester added with one stiff nod.

"Oh really?" I smirked.

"Unless you guys are getting a divorce? If that's the case I'm definitely living with you." He winked at me.

"No one's getting divorced." Ranger warned him.

"Are you being held against your will?" Lester whispered to me.

"Shut up Lester." I rolled my eyes at him.

"I'm just trying to lighten the mood." He held his hands up with his palms out. "I helped right?"

"Yeah, only now I'm afraid to look at the rest of the pictures. Can they wait or do I have to see them right now?" I sighed.

"I'm sure it can wait. I will say now that you looked at some of them certain things make a bit more sense." Lester grabbed an apple.

"What do you mean?" Ranger asked him.

"Hector came back from Hawaii just a few hours ago. His knuckles were all bruised and bloody. He gave me the envelope and told me to get my ass here and then locked himself in his computer dungeon." Lester elaborated.

"Can I have your phone?" I asked Ranger.

"Here Babe." He held it out for me to take.

I pressed the phone's button and it opened. I glanced up at Ranger and he gave me a closed mouth smile. Lester's eyes grew wide with surprise. I wondered how long my print was saved in his phone for touch ID. It certainly showed a huge level of trust, and judging from Lester's face this was huge. Oh yes Hector, I was going to call Hector and not get all mushy inside just because Ranger trusted me enough to give me unlimited access to his phone. I dialed his number straight from my memory with no problem. He answered quickly.

"Si Jefe." (Yes boss)

"Hermano" I greeted him. (Brother)

He was silent for a few second and then he finally spoke. "Angelito, I am so sorry."

"Sorry about what?" I asked.

"I let you down. I should have been there. I shouldn't have let you go on vacation alone." He sounded distraught.

"I wasn't alone very long until Ranger got there and this idiot got pictures of both of us. There was nothing you could have done. No way could you have known. This is no one's fault except whoever took the pictures. Bane I guess." I tried to reassure him.

"It's just…" He trailed off.

"No it's okay. It's not your fault. I know you will find him." I consoled him.

"Are you still hurting? Still upset?" He asked.

"No, I'm better." I responded.

"Even after this new thing? This Pendejo signed his death certificate when he took those pictures." Hector growled. (Idiot)

"What do you mean new thing?" I was confused.

"The pictures, it's just one more thing to lie on your heavy heart." He sighed.

"Listen, I'm coming back tomorrow. I will be fine once I am home with my family" I assured him.

"Don't do that to me again please. You walk out on him and come to me; you don't walk out on everyone." Hector told me.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again." I confirmed.

"Just I love you and I worry." His voice grew softer.

"I love you too mi hermano." I promised. (My brother)

"Just come home Estephania." Hector pleaded.

"I will." I assured him. "Let me talk to Ranger and see if we can leave tonight."

"Thank you." He let out a breath before he disconnected.

"Hector is worried, he wants us home." I told Ranger as soon as I disconnected the call.

"Sounds good to me." Lester nodded.

"Is that what you want Babe? Are you ready?" Ranger asked me.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Did Hector say anything about the flash drive from Hawaii?" Ranger asked me.

"No and I didn't want to ask him right now. He is already beating himself up." I explained.

"Understood." Ranger gave a single nod.

I crossed the room and fell into Ranger's open arms. I pressed myself into his chest and let his arms wrap around me. I was so grateful to have these men in my life. I felt so loved and supported. Lester cleared his throat but Ranger didn't release me. Just then I felt arms wrap around me from behind.

"Group hug." Lester announced.

"Santos." Ranger growled.

"Yeah yeah. I know get my own." he pulled away. "I do have a hot date tonight."

"Tonight? That's why you want to get back. Who is she?" I asked.

"Her name is Olivia. She has long brown hair and the prettiest hazel eyes. I met her at the park walking her dog Duke." he told me.

"What were you doing at the park? Do you even have a dog?" I asked him.

"No, it's a great place to pick up chicks." he winked at me.

"Go bring the SUV around." Ranger ordered as he packed up our bags.

"Sir, yes sir." Lester did a mock salute.

"He is going to kick your ass." I threatened as I shook my head.

Lester jogged towards the door and left with Ranger glaring behind him. I got dressed and gathered my things together. I was ready to go home. I wanted a chance to see my old apartment and I needed to talk to Ranger about our future. I mean, we're married and it seems he wants to stay married. Do we live in the penthouse or get a house? Does he know I don't want a baby? I only wanted to spend some time with other people's kids once in a while, but I want the option of giving them back when they get annoying.

Lester carried our luggage out and got it loaded while Ranger checked us out of our room. There was a young man at the front desk so we were able to get checked out without delay. He led me out and helped me in the passenger seat as Lester jogged away. Lester left before us, excited and in a hurry to get to his date. I noticed that when Ranger drove he seemed to get into this zone. He was focused on the road but at the same time it seemed he was able to block out everything around him and go somewhere in his mind. I wondered where he was and what he was thinking about.

It would be a long drive back to Trenton so I decided to use that time by looking through the rest of the pictures. I quickly passed by the ones I had already seen and steadied myself for whatever new things I would find. The first new picture was of Ranger and I wrapped up in a hug standing on the beach at sunset. It was actually a pretty amazing picture. We were smiling at each other and I was leaning back in his arms as if to tease him and he was leaning into me. The ocean was in the background and there was an orange and purple glow on the sun as it hovered just above the water. This picture made me smile and I closed my eyes.

 _"Kiss me." Ranger teased._

 _"No no no, every time I kiss you we end up having sex." I placed my hands against his chest and half-heartedly pushed at him._

 _"Not every time." His strong hands locked around my waist._

 _"You are incorrigible." I shook my head._

 _"It's our animal magnetism. We can't help ourselves, besides I never hear you complain." He winked at me._

 _"You don't hear me say anything because your tongue is always down my throat." I tried to appear pissed off._

 _"I just want to be the jelly in your doughnut." He raised both eyebrows._

 _We both burst out laughing at the same time and I leaned into him and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. I was surprised at his attempt at making fun of my jelly donut hormones. I shook my head but smiled right before he covered my lips with his. His hands moved up to my back and he gripped my shoulder blades as his tongue dove into my mouth. I grabbed the back of his head and quickly took control of the kiss. Pride filled my body when I heard a soft moan from him. I wanted to live the rest of my life like this. I wanted to laugh together and love together. I wondered if we could really make it as a couple after we got home. Then his hand was on my ass and my only wonder was if we would make it back to the room before I ripped his swim trunks off._

"We were good together in Hawaii." I announced.

"Another memory?" He sounded hopeful.

"Yes, when I saw this picture of us in front of the sunset on the beach. It's really a beautiful picture of the two of us together, you look really hot." I turned the picture towards him.

He glanced to the side before settling his eyes back on the road. "Damn you are beautiful. I really am a lucky man."

"Carlos, do you really think we can make it? Can we have all of that again here in Trenton?" I asked.

"Yes. Of course we have to work and although we can't spend every waking second together we can make the time. I want to." he was honest.

"You want to? I still can't fathom how you spent years keeping me away and then suddenly you switch gears," I shook my head.

"I know it seems sudden. I can't tell you the exact moment it hit me or what caused me to get my crap together if that's what you're looking for. I think it was just a buildup of things. I have loved you for so long." He reached for my hand and linked our fingers together.

"I'm sorry. I am just trying to get things straight in my head. I hope you can see how confusing this all is for me. Without so many memories it seems as if you said no for a long time and then one time you say yes and I am supposed to just drop to my knees and be grateful you finally want me. " I squeezed his hand.

"I have always wanted you." He swore.

"You know what I mean." I told him.

"I love you Stephanie. For whatever reason I finally realized we have already been in a relationship for a long time. I couldn't tell you with words but I showed you with actions. I'm done being quiet, especially now when you need to remember all that we had." He squeezed my hand. "I finally realized my reasons for keeping you away were bullshit. You have always been safer with me than away from me."

"So you're going to be more talkative?" I asked.

He chuckled. "For now, but don't think it's easy and don't expect it around my men or anyone else."

I lifted his hand to my lips where I placed a single kiss on the top of his dark skin. "Thank you."

"Anything for you Babe. Anything." He looked to me and smiled before focusing back on the road.

We sat together in silence for a long while until we had to pull over and get gas. Once the SUV was full and we had both visited the facilities, we were quickly back on the road. I was armed with Diet Coke, sour patch kids and a Charleston Chew. Ranger had a Powerade. Once I ate my snacks, I decided it was time to get back to the pictures. I know I had been putting it off, afraid of what more I would see. Of course I hoped it was just more romantic pictures of the two of us, but I was so wrong.

The very next picture showed me sleeping alone in a bed. The bed and the top blanket were different than the bungalow Ranger had brought me to when I was released from the hospital. This clearly had to be the hotel I had stayed in before Ranger came to join me. I looked peaceful, asleep on my back, with my head turned to one side. Still, I felt a chill travel through my body knowing someone had been in the room with me and I hadn't even known it. He could have done anything to me, yet he had chosen to take a picture.

I slid the picture to the back of the pile and gazed down at the next one. I was in the same bed, eyes closed and obviously fast asleep. This time Bane was on the bed with me. The picture was a selfie he had taken with me beside him. To know he had lain next to me in the bed as I was dreaming repulsed me. I felt physically nauseous at the thought of him so close to me, with me absolutely unaware of his presence. Why didn't this man just approach me and talk to me like a normal person? What made him quickly become so obsessed?

I rapidly switched to the next picture in the stack. It was one of the ones Ranger had described to me. I was wearing a dress and Ranger was in a suit. My dress was red and flared at the bottom and Ranger's suit was black with a crisp white shirt showing under the jacket. The collar was open and you could see just a hint of his toned muscular chest. We were on a dancefloor, my back to his front. My head was to the side resting on his shoulder and his arms were around my waist. I thought it might have been a sexy photo but Ranger's face had been replaced by one of Bane.

My stomach churned as I studied the picture. I knew it was Ranger's body behind mine and Ranger's arms around me, but seeing Bane's face seemed so wrong. His face held a wide smile, but there was something frightening about his eyes. Behind the smile lurked something sinister and dangerous inside of him and it made goosebumps spread across my arms.

I quickly pushed the picture to the back and glanced down at the next one. Ranger and I in the outside shower at the bungalow. Ranger's back was facing the camera, his arms were wrapped around me and my legs were locked at the ankle just above his back. You could see my face over Ranger's shoulder. My eyes were closed and my mouth was open wide, obviously caught in the throes of passion.

"Pull over." I demanded.

"Carlos pull over." I nearly screamed as the car slowed down.

He quickly navigated to the shoulder and I yanked open the door. I barely made it to the grassy area before I started heaving up the contents of my stomach. My hands were on my thighs as I hunched over and continued to throw up. Without a sound a hand held back my hair while another rubbed my back.

"It's okay Babe. It's going to be okay." I heard his voice.

"I was sleeping, we were making love. He was so close, we were dancing. He was in the bed." The words were spewing out of my mouth in between dry heaves.

"It's okay. Never again. He's never going to get close to you again." He promised me.

I pulled myself up and turned around, only to collapse into Ranger's arms. I was sobbing, crying the ugly cry of a woman losing her mind. I didn't want to see any more pictures. Ranger could look through them and decide if there were any I needed to see to help us figure things out, but I didn't want to see anymore. He ushered me back towards the car and I reached in for my drink. I swished the soda around my gritty mouth and spit it out onto the road. Ranger stuffed me into the car and fastened my seatbelt around me.

Once he was settled back into the driver's seat I felt him moving around me. He was gathering up the pictures I had strewn across the floor and packing them back into the envelope. He tucked it into the side of the seat and kissed my temple before he pulled back onto the road. I closed my eyes and reclined the seat. This all felt like a crazy ride on some sick and twisted roller coaster. One minute I have happy memories of Ranger and me, and then next I am seeing and remembering disturbing things. Is this really my typical everyday life?

My mind was racing as I thought about how we were going to deal with Bane. How I was going to deal with Morelli and his mommy. What about my parents? What was I going to say to them about all of this? On top of all of that I was worried about Hector. I had hurt him when I walked out and I wouldn't do that to him or to Ranger again. Memories or not I needed to change a lot of things in my life and that was going to start as soon as I got back to Trenton.

********************************THANK YOU*******************************

Thank you to everyone that reviews.  
Thank you to Olivia for making me feel special and appreciated. Hope you enjoy your date with Lester.

Thanks Jenn for all that you continue to do.

The excerpt was taken from the book. "Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs" by Molly Harper.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20-

I awoke the second we pulled into the underground garage on Haywood. I rubbed my eyes and looked out the front window and I immediately focused on Hector standing in front of the elevator waiting for us. As soon as we parked he was at my side pulling the door open. He reached in and quickly unhooked the seat belt and grabbed my hand as he tugged me from the car. He pulled me into his arms and squeezed me a little tighter than was necessary. He jerked me back suddenly and narrowed his eyes at me.

"What's wrong? What made you sick?" He grabbed my shoulders.

When I didn't answer right away Ranger jumped in. "Just a little unsettled with the pictures."

He looked like the wind was knocked out of him. "Estephania, I only sent the pictures to hope you would remember something. I never want to hurt you."

"But you got hurt." I grabbed both of his hands in mine.

"I'm fine." He tried to pull his hands away before I could notice his red swollen knuckles.

"You're not fine. What happened?" I demanded.

"It's nothing." He stepped back.

"Hector." I took a step towards him.

"I didn't find the PI if that's what you think." He turned his face from me.

"Just tell me what's going on." I grabbed his chin and turned him back to me.

"I hit a wall. I hit many walls. I busted up his whole office in Hawaii. When I calmed down, I hired workers to repair the damage for the landlord." Hector confessed.

"But..." I rested my hands on his shoulders.

"You didn't see what I saw." He glared at me.

"Hector, hermano..." I tried to comfort him.

"Picture you going to a woman's place searching for info on me. You go to her office and it seems abandoned or at least she hasn't been there in a few days. Her desk had pictures and notes and schedules." He shook his head.

"We found some of that on the hard drive already, when we were in Hawaii." I reminded him.

"Here." He thrust his phone towards Ranger.

"Come on." Ranger took the phone and grabbed my hand.

He led us to the elevator where no words were spoken. We were going five floors up but it seemed like one hundred. The silence was deafening and the tension in the air was thick. I squeezed Ranger's hand and glanced at Hector who had his head down, staring at the floor. Finally the elevator chimed for the fifth floor and we all looked to the doors, anxious to escape the confines of the small box. Once open Hector bolted out of the small car and I followed behind Ranger as he led me to his office. I sat down on the couch where Hector quickly joined me, but still refused to look at me. Tank came in next and shut the door behind him.

I watched Ranger walk around his desk and pull out a small device. He held it out to Hector who quickly jumped to his feet. I rested my elbows on my thighs and dropped my face into my hands. I had no idea what was going on or what we could see that would make Hector lose control. I looked up at Tank who was sitting in a beige club chair. He was on the edge of his seat ready to strike at any moment. I wondered what had him so on edge. Hector moved to turn off the lights and Ranger aimed the device at the wall beside his desk. I was happy to have the lights off because I felt the onset of a major headache coming my way.

"The front office of Bane Kolani, PI. 32 12th avenue." Hector's voice announced.

The office door opened and closed. "Sorry" Lester said before taking a seat in a chair near Tank.

The camera scanned throughout the small business. He began at the glass front door that had Bane's name etched into the glass. He turned the camera to show the office. The walls were painted an off-white color and the carpet was brown and worn. There was a couch and some chairs scattered around, a coffee table full of magazines and a water cooler. There was one desk and the camera moved towards it. On the desk were a laptop and a phone.

"Do you have that laptop?" Tank asked.

"I have it downstairs; I'm already going through it." Hector answered him.

We were now watching as the camera moved around the desk and focused down onto the top. There were pictures of me scattered there. They were all slightly bigger than wallet size, but I couldn't really make out too much detail unless we were to pause and enlarge some of the images. I saw some scribbled notes that seemed to list my daily movements and activities. The video ended.

"You have all of those?" I asked Hector.

"Si." Was his only response. (yes)

Ranger was pressing buttons and the screen came back up again. Hector's voice came through the mini speaker. "Storage Room."

The camera was focused on a wooden door. We all watched while Hector pushed the door open and turned on the light switch. I immediately gasped when my eyes took in the video before me. It was me and I was everywhere. There were pictures of me all over the walls of this room. Small and big pictures, close ups and landscapes. The camera momentarily hovered on a poster size picture of me. I was wearing a nightgown that looked more like lingerie. The silky baby doll styled deep blue piece had spaghetti straps and was just long enough to cover my butt. I was staring out into the water completely unaware of my surroundings. If Ranger had taken it I would have thought it was a great picture because I looked amazing, but knowing Bane had taken it got my stomach turning again. The focus of the camera changed as the lens was directed to investigate the rest of the scene, panning up and down every wall and every counter.

"Oh my God." I cried out when I saw my blue and white striped bikini laid out on a counter with candles around it.

Hector wrapped his arm around me and tugged me to his side. I was tempted to just bury my face into him so I wouldn't have to see any more of this, but I knew I had to face it. More pictures and then I noticed papers on a counter .The camera zoomed in to view the papers, they were room service receipts with my name signed on them. This was insane it was like a freaking shrine. The next time the camera panned it showed a bulletin board and zoomed in. A picture of Ranger with his full name written underneath, a circle and slash over his body, obviously marked for death, there were also pictures of Morelli and Lano Kolani.

"Lono Kalani? The mechanic? Same last name?" I was confused.

"Not the same last name. One has an 'o' the other an 'a', it's a common last name on the island. Anyway, he was found dead." Hector explained

"Dead?" I asked.

"Most likely Bane got to him." Hector told the room.

"Then Bane probably didn't hire him." I added as the video ended.

"Bane was hired by Morelli to watch Steph and became obsessed with her. He's out to get rid of the competition but it's unlikely he is trying to hurt her, for right now at least." Ranger said as he turned the lights on.

"So the mechanic?" Lester asked.

"The Rug spotted us and figured we were there to get him so he hired the mechanic to get the job done. Bane is a whole separate entity in this." I announced.

"Just one more psycho to add to the list." Tank ran a hand over his bald head.

"So Bane is an obsessed stalker who helped us by getting rid of the mechanic." Lester stated.

"Yes." I nodded.

"So who took a shot at you two the other night if the Rug, Tootie and the mechanic are all gone? Are there still hitmen out there after Steph?" Lester asked.

"From what I can tell all hits have been called off with no one alive to pay." Tank informed the group.

"So then Bane?" Lester worried.

"I don't think he would take a shot at me with Stephanie so close." Ranger shook his head.

"So yet another suspect?" I scrubbed my face.

I just listened as the guys passed around ideas and leads they had. I was exhausted and I needed water because my mouth was still feeling gritty. They were all stating what they were each going to do to pursue different leads. I leaned my head against Hector's shoulder just for a second and suddenly everyone stopped talking.

"She's exhausted." Tank noticed.

"I'm fine." I sat up.

"You're not fine. I'm so sorry." Hector patted my knee.

"It's okay; I know you don't want to hurt me. This isn't your fault." I patted his cheek. "I just need a shower and some rest."

"Go. Take her Jefe. Take her upstairs and care for her." Hector looked over to Ranger. (boss)

Ranger nodded and came to stand in front of me. He held out his hand and I shook my head no. He gave his hand one hard shake telling me to take it. I rolled my eyes and took his hand, allowing him to pull me to my feet. The door opened and Tank left the room first. I felt Ranger's arm circle my waist and then my calves as he picked me up into his arms. I was surprised he didn't correct Hector for ordering him around.

"I can walk." I rolled my eyes.

"Let him Angelito. Let him take care of you." Hector pleaded.

"Fine. But don't get used to it." I cautioned.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Ranger told me.

"Wait." I put my hand on Ranger's forearm. "Hector, tell me you have all of that stuff. The pictures, notes, everything."

"Yes Hermoso, I have everything. No one else will ever see them, when we are done testing everything and everyone has been taken care of I will help you burn it all." He assured me.

"Okay, let's go." I tapped Ranger's arm as I watched a smile finally come across Hector's face.

Ranger chuckled and tapped his forehead to mine. I needed a shower, I needed to brush my teeth and drink mouth wash. I wanted Ella's comfort food and I couldn't wait to be under those amazing sheets. As soon as we got into the apartment Ranger set me down on the couch and handed me the landline.

"Call Ella and tell her what you want for dinner." He told me before he disappeared.

"Yes dear?" Ella answered after the second ring.

"It's so nice to hear your voice." I told her.

"I'm glad to have you back, this time I hope it's for good." She was curious.

"Yes I think so, unless Ranger gets sick of me." I shrugged.

"Good, then you'll be here forever." She paused. "What can I bring you?"

"I don't know. I hear Ranger running some bath water for me. I had a crappy day." I explained.

"Comfort food. Okay I will have it up shortly after your long relaxing bath." She told me.

"Thank you." I told her before she disconnected.

"Babe" Ranger called out from the bathroom.

I followed his voice and found him standing in the doorway to the bathroom. He tilted his head and added a smile when he saw me. I stopped a few feet away from him and he stepped forward towards me and lifted his arms. I smiled and moved to stand in front of him so that I could be pulled tightly into his embrace.

"This seems new." I remarked.

"I used to cross my arms a lot near you. I would cross them and lean against something. It was fighting every fiber of my being. I wanted nothing more than to step towards you and lift my arms every time I saw you. I wanted you in my arms every time I was near you. I'm done fighting that now." He spoke into my hair.

"You say the sweetest things." I mused.

He chuckled. "I'm sure I will find a way to piss you off, though we never did really fight."

I looked at the sink and saw my toothbrush, covered in paste, obviously laid out for me. I picked it up and began scrubbing all the nasty grit out of my mouth. Then I gargled with mouthwash twice. When my mouth finally felt clean and refreshed I turned back to him.

"Thank you." I gave out a sigh of content.

"For what?" He pulled back to meet my eyes.

"For everything. For coming to get me. For taking care of me. For being patient." I kissed him.

"I'm not letting you go Babe; there is nothing and no one that can keep us apart. Till death do us part." He kissed my forehead.

"Let's not think about that." I scrunched up my nose.

"I need to make a couple of calls. Why don't you settle into the tub?" he suggested.

"That sounds good. Thank you." I kissed his lips again before we pulled apart.

He tested the water temperature and then kissed me on the top of the head as he passed me to leave the room. I went into the closet and found a pair of boy shorts and a tank top to bring into the bathroom with me. I stripped down and turned off the water before I dipped my toe into heaven. I moaned out as I slowly climbed into the hot bubbles. The water smelled like strawberries and peaches and I closed my eyes as I moved handfuls of water over my shoulders. The water soothed my aches and slowly released the tension from my body. I scooted to the back of the tub and was about to lean back when a hand stopped me.

"Babe" His husky voice got my complete attention.

I felt a sponge at my back and leaned forward. I brought my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. Ranger added some soap and washed my back and pulled my hair to the side as he washed my neck. I moaned when he filled the sponge with water and twisted the hot water all down my back and neck. He wrapped a hand around my hair and twisted it, forcing fire to spread through my body. Everything froze when he just wrapped a hairband around the big messy bun. I glanced over at him and raised an eyebrow. He smiled and shook his head while his hand went to my shoulder and slowly guided me back.

He had rolled up at towel and set it on the back of the tub for my neck to lean on while I relaxed. He dipped a washcloth in the water and then wrung it out before he placed it over my eyes. I felt like I was in a spa, but I had been expecting some more touching after he had washed my back. I heard him move away from me and I let out a big sigh. I almost jumped when I felt his soft lips on my neck and then his hot breath on my ear.

"Happy, naked fun time is later." He whispered.

"Carlos!" I exclaimed as I pulled the cloth from my eyes.

He chuckled before flashing me his thousand watt smile and I couldn't help but return his smile with a big one of my own. Most guys would sit me down and hash out my feelings about the videos we had seen. They would want to know what I was thinking or give me their point of view. Others like Morelli or maybe even Luca would have us both down in Hector's office right now investigating everything. But Ranger knew what I needed was to just have some time to forget what had happened and reenergize myself so I could face everything fresh tomorrow. He knew exactly what I needed and he gave it to me. I closed my eyes and laid the cloth across them again.

 _I was suddenly hanging upside down by one foot. My heart was racing and the rope was biting into my ankle. I was hanging off a bridge. I looked up and saw Ranger straddling the guard rail._

" _Try to stay still." He said to me. "I'm going to pull you up, but you have to stop twirling, you're loosening the knot."_

 _I instantly froze, but I was still gently swaying, and I felt the knot slip. A heartbeat later I was in freefall. I caught a glimpse of Ranger flying off the bridge after me. I curled into a cannonball position, and took a deep breath a split-second before I hit the water. I plunged below the surface and came out of my fetal position disoriented. I felt myself being pushed up, and in the longest moment of my life I struggled not to breathe and suck in river water. I surfaced sputtering and gasping for air. I went under briefly and was pushed up again. I could feel Ranger against my back, his arms wrapped around me._

" _Relax!" He shouted. "I'm going to float with the current and tow you in."_

 _I tried to tell him that I could swim but I was shaking and my teeth were chattering and I couldn't get any words formed. By the time we reached the bank there were four Rangeman guys in the water waiting to help us and an EMS truck and a police car were idling a short distance away, lights flashing._

 _I was pulled out of the water and wrapped in a blanket. Someone removed the cuffs that were bound my wrists. Ranger held me tight against him, his cheek against mine._

" _You're okay." He said. "You're safe."_

 _I nodded, unable to speak._

 _He stepped back and looked at me. "Anything broken?"_

 _I shook my head "N-n-n-no."_

" _Do you need to get checked out by the EMS tech?"_

" _N-n-n-no."_

" _I need to take care of things here." He said. "I'm going to have Tank take you home. You can talk to the police after you've had a shower and gotten into dry clothes."_

" _It was M-m-Moe and Shorty." I said. "Damn, I can't stop shaking."_

" _Adrenaline burn-off." Ranger said. "It's normal."_

" _Why aren't you sh-sh-shaking?" I asked._

" _I'm not normal."_

 _I had flashes of Tank driving me home and then I was in the shower sobbing and blow drying my hair while tears continued to fall from my swollen eyes. My eyes were red and my nose was running when I heard my cell phone ring._

" _I'm at your door." Morelli said. "You're supposed to be in there according to Ranger, but I'm pounding on your door and you're not answering."_

" _I didn't hear you. I had the hair dryer going."_

 _I opened the door to Morelli and he scooped me into him._

" _You're crushing me." I said. "I can't breathe."_

" _Do you have any idea what it's like to find out the woman you love has just been thrown off a bridge? My heart stopped beating. Are you okay? Were you hurt?" He asked._

" _I got some scratches and bruises, but nothing serious. Mostly I was terrified. I was so scared I don't even remember hitting the water."_

 _His cellphone buzzed with a text message._

" _I hate this thing." Morelli said, eyes on the message._

" _It's okay if you have to go. All I want to do is sleep. Now that I'm warm and dry, I'm flat out done."_

 _He kissed me on the forehead. "I'll call you when I get a break."_

 _I locked up after him, put a pillow over my head and instantly fell asleep._

 _I woke up when the pillow got lifted off and Ranger looked down at me._

" _Babe"_

" _Getting dropped into the Delaware is exhausting." I told him._

 _Ranger was sitting on the side of the bed and he was looking comfortably dry and perfectly groomed in Rangeman black fatigues. There was almost always a softness to his mouth that was sensuous and youthful. But his eyes were dark and serious and reflected his troubled history._

" _How are you doing?" He asked._

" _I'm doing great."_

 _And that was true. Turns out I'm very resilient. All I need is some chattering teeth, about an hour and a half of uncontrollable sobbing, some sleep, and I'm ready to face the world again._

" _I wish I could say the same." Ranger said. "I'm having a hard time erasing the vision of you falling from the bridge."_

" _Yes, but you jumped in and saved me. You're my hero." I told him._

" _Being your hero is a full-time job. I worry someday I'm not going to get to you in time."_

" _I didn't know you worried about anything." I spoke softly._

" _I worry about everything." His words were barely above a whisper._

"Babe"

"Babe"

"Ranger!' My eyes flew open.

"Sit up." He ordered.

I spit out some water as he pulled me from the tub. My teeth were chattering as he wrapped a towel around me and lifted me out of the tub. He set me down on my feet but kept his arms around me when he realized I wasn't completely steady. He lifted me up and carried me to the bed. I sat down and pulled the towel around me as he covered me with a blanket that had been folded at the end of the bed.

"I'm sorry Babe. I was on a call and I assumed you had gotten out already. You must have fallen asleep." He was shaking his head.

"How l-l-l-long? How long was I in th-th-ere?" I asked.

"Twenty-five minutes tops." He rubbed the blanket over my shoulders.

"It was so scary. The water was like ice. I couldn't breathe." I leaned into him.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"No." I pulled away. "Not now, before."

"Before?" He didn't understand.

"When Moe and Shorty threw me off the bridge." I explained.

"Oh, you remembered that?" He asked.

"You jumped in. Are you crazy? Why in the world would you jump off of a bridge?" I looked up in wonder.

"Because I had to get to you. I couldn't let you go in alone." He spoke as if it was common sense.

"It's not normal." I shook my head.

"I'm not normal." He smiled.

"You said that too." I pulled the blanket tighter around me. "You told Morelli I was home, sent him to me."

"He was your boyfriend or whatever you two were that week." He shrugged.

"Do you know what happened when he came over?" I asked.

"I don't think I want to hear those details." He got up to turn on some lights.

"He wasn't there five minutes. He hugged me, asked how I was doing, then got a text and had to leave." I explained.

"What?" He froze in his tracks.

"Yes. He said he would call me when he got a break. I don't know if he ever did." I shrugged.

"Fuck!" He exclaimed as he moved back to sit on the bed.

"What's wrong?" I was confused.

"I thought he would take care of you. Would make sure you weren't alone, give you Motrin, and make you hot chocolate." He took my hands in his.

"You came." I smiled.

"As soon as I could." He nodded. "I would have found a way to make it to you sooner if I knew you were alone."

"You were worried." I told him.

"Yeah, had nightmares about that fall for a long time." He shook his head.

"I'm sorry." I kissed his cheek.

"Not your fault Babe. You didn't tell them to throw you off a bridge; there was nothing you could have done about it." He nuzzled his nose against mine.

"So from what I remember so far. I have a major disaster and you come put out the fire. You send in Morelli to pick up the pieces but all he does is pick up a piece or two before something more important demands his time." I suggested.

"And then I come back to pick up the rest." Ranger reminded me.

"Why did you do it? How could you? Why didn't you tell me?" I got up and headed to the bathroom.

"I thought he was better for you." He tried to explain.

"I just told you he was too busy for me. He never put me first." I slipped on the boy shorts.

"I know that now. There was also the issue of people wanting to hurt you to get to me." He spoke loud enough for me to hear him.

"Seems from what I remember of Scrog they did that anyway." I noted as I pulled on the tank top.

"Look Stephanie, if you want I can sit and tell you every bullshit justification I made to myself to keep you out of my life. Then I can tell you about every action I did to keep you in it." He stood as I came back into the room.

"Just tell me you're not going to push me away again." I pleaded.

He crossed the room in two long strides and pulled me into his arms. "Never."

He covered my face in kisses as he wrapped one arm around my waist and the other near my neck. He pressed his lips to mine and I kissed him back as our mouths opened together to deepen our kiss. The kiss was slow and passionate but there was no rush or frenzy. I pulled away first and he pulled me into his chest.

"Sorry." He murmured.

"No, it's okay. I'm sorry to keep throwing it in your face Carlos. It's hard when a memory comes back like that." I leaned away from his chest.

"I understand. I will keep reminding you. You're mine now. I'm never sending you away again." He tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

"You do that a lot." I grabbed at his fingers.

"Your hair is crazy a lot." He smiled.

I looked into his eyes and got caught up. A million thoughts ran through my head. What if he pushed me away? What if he got killed because of me? What if we never went to Hawaii? What if he gets hurt trying to save me?

"Are we okay?" I asked him.

"There's nothing we can't get through together." He rubbed my cheek with his thumb. "I can't wait for you to remember all of the crazy things we have been through."

"I'm not sure I want to remember them all." I teased.

"Let's eat." He kissed my nose.

"I'm starving." I told him.

Ella had sent up casserole that was full of chicken, cheese and noodles. I wasn't sure about all of the vegetables in there but it tasted amazing and I wasn't collecting recipes so I didn't care about the ingredients. We made our plans over dinner. In the morning I would call Morelli and make lunch plans to meet him at his mother's house. We would head out to my apartment first thing in the morning and then to the bonds office, I explained to Ranger that I still had concerns about Lula and Connie and I wanted to test them. As I lay in the bed waiting for Ranger to shower and change I must have closed my eyes because the next thing I remember is him gently shaking me.

"Time to get up." He told me.

"A few more minutes." I pleaded.

"We did that a few minutes ago. Come on Babe, we have a lot to do today." He reminded me.

"What's for breakfast?" I asked him.

I made you French toast." He stated.

"You made me? Not Ella?" I asked.

"Not Ella." He kissed my forehead.

"But we never did anything last night. I fell asleep before you got into bed." I pushed out my lower lip.

He chuckled. "French toast is not a 'thank you'."

"Then what is it?" I sat up.

He shrugged. "It's a 'just because I love you.'"

"Mmm I like that." I kissed him before jumping out of bed.

"I'll get your coffee ready." He told me as I headed for the bathroom.

"You are awesome, I freaking love you." I called after him.

"Remember this next time I piss you off." He laughed.

I took a quick shower and threw on a robe so I could enjoy the breakfast hot. Tank called and informed us my apartment had been broken into again during the night. This time there had been a fire and there wasn't much left over. We decided to skip that destination because Ranger worried that the cops would be around and that it might upset me. I called Lula and told her I was leaving Ranger and Lester and I were going to run away together. Within five minutes my phone started ringing, and then Tank informed Ranger that Lula had called to tell him about my plans with Lester. Ranger decided it was time for us to go to the bond's office.

"What a surprise to see you Batman. You are looking fine today." Lula greeted Ranger.

She smirked and looked at Connie. Connie looked like the cat that ate the canary. Ranger had told me that I considered these women my friends but somewhere along the way they decided it was more fun to gossip about me to everyone. It made them feel special and important because they almost always had the scoop on what was happening with me. He told me about all of the times Lula had abandoned me, with a skip or at the police station. Almost any time the cops showed up, she took off when she was supposed to wait for me. The last thing he told me about Lula was that her gun happy ways were what caused me the most trouble when I was going after FTA's. The last thing he told me about Connie was that they had found several calls to Angie Morelli from Connie's desk phone.

As he drove I started to get flashes of memories. I saw Connie handing me high bond cases, rapes and murders. Lula was on a job with me and pulled her gun, another time she left me with no ride at the police station. I started seeing all of the times things had happened with either one of them and then my mother was calling me, already in the know about what happened. Today there had already been a message on my phone from my mother. Glad I was leaving Ranger. Wanting to know why I was with Lester, another dangerous thug in black and not Joe, the respectable detective from a good burg family. It was all starting to make sense now.

"Ladies." Ranger nodded at them as we came in the door.

"We're here to pick-up the Rangeman files." I told them.

"Where's Lester at this morning?" Lula snickered.

"I don't believe you actually fell for that." I laughed.

"I knew you were joking around." Lula lied.

"Thought we could all use a little laughter." I also lied.

"Oh girl! You got me. You back with the cop?" She asked.

"It's really not your business who I'm with." I moved closer to Connie's desk.

"Excuse me?" Connie gave me a confused look.

I smiled at her. She had black hair, teased six inches high and small beady brown eyes. Her breasts were big and in her low cut purple blouse they were hanging out for the world to see. The hair on her upper lip needed waxing and her eyebrows needed the same treatment before they connected to each other. She looked back and forth between Ranger and me unsure what to say or do. Lula moved over to Connie's side and placed her hand on Connie's shoulder, she was wearing a zebra print top three sizes too small. Her boobs looked really uncomfortable stuffed into that top like cased sausage, but the worst was her ass hanging out of the bottom of her orange skirt. I wanted to tell them Ranger and I were married but I needed to tell Morelli first.

"What did you say? You're all high and mighty now working at Rangeman? Does Batman know you're leaving him for Morelli? Everyone knows you're meeting him for lunch." Lula smiled, looking pleased with herself.

"I started remembering more and more so I wanted to stop by. Connie, over the years you have given me a lot of dangerous cases even when you knew I wasn't qualified. You used me to clean off your desk so you had someone to blame when Vinnie asked questions. I also know that along with Lula you have been one of the biggest gossips to everyone in the burg, about my life."

"I'm your best friend." Lula jumped in.

"Best? You're not even a regular friend." I shook my head. "Many of my cases that have gone bad were because you didn't listen, pulled your gun or just out right abandoned me. Friends don't do that to each other."

"Miss thinks she is all that with no memory comes in to grace us with her presence." Lula rolled her eyes. "And now you want to talk shit about things you can't remember."

"Have you told Ranger you plan on walking out on him? Have you told him you're doing the yo-yo thing again gain? So many women would die to spend five minutes with Ricardo Carlos Manoso. And Morelli? The grown up mature, domesticated Morelli is a whole new man that any woman in the Burg would kill for. That's not even bringing up his lizard tongue. What do you do? You the selfish bitch take them both." Connie looked disgusted.

"I have no control over someone else's feelings." I kept my face blank.

"You led them both around by their dicks for years." Lula scoffed.

"You know what? I don't owe either one of you an explanation, and whatever mistakes you think I've made give you no right to talk about me or to set me up to deal with Joe and Angie Morelli at Pinos." I shot back.

"Oh? You don't like having to face the music?" Connie sneered.

"Wow, I can't believe you did that." I shook my head.

"Believe it." Lula glared.

"I think it's time I spoke up here." Ranger began. "Stephanie doesn't remember everything, but I do. Did she ever give you any details about her relationship with me or Morelli?"

"No, she was a selfish bitch keeping all of the juicy details to herself." Lula told him.

"Too good to share anything with us low lifes." Connie turned her glare on me.

"She never pursued me or Morelli, both of us went after her. Both of us had commitment issues. All three of us were in this weird screwed up triangle and there was no one person in the wrong because we were all guilty." Ranger informed them.

"She still has you whipped." Lula shook her head. "What a shame."

"You still think she's worth it?" Connie shook her head.

"We're sorting things out and will have a permanent resolution soon." He informed them.

"Sure." Lula rolled her eyes. "Gets her cake and eats it too."

"Uh oh, it's too late to hide in the alley." Connie chuckled.

The door opened and we all turned to see Joe Morelli standing in the doorway. He looked confused as he took in the scene in front of him. Connie was at her desk, covering her face as she tried to hide her laugh. Lula smirked as she waited excitedly, like a kid getting ready to see fireworks. Ranger had no expression on his blank face and I hoped I had kept my emotions to myself as well. I assumed on of the women had called Morelli as soon as they saw us pull up out front.

"Cupcake, I thought we were meeting for lunch at my mom's place." Morelli spoke first.

"I knew it." I heard Connie whisper behind me.

"I was just making a quick stop on the way." I told Morelli.

"Okay, well I was just…okay then I'll see you in a little while." He nodded.

Morelli crossed the room, grabbed the back of my neck and then kissed my forehead. It took everything I had not to pull away or glare at him. What I really wanted to do was introduce his balls to my knee, but instead I forced a fake smile and gave him a nod. He walked back out the door without acknowledging anyone else in the room. I took a deep breath and turned around to look at the women I had thought to be my friends.

"You both disgust me. No wonder neither one of you can hold on to a man." I shook my head in disgust. "I quit, and if I never see or hear from you two again it would be too soon."

"Rangeman will no longer be taking FTA's for Plum's Bail Bonds; we are opening our own Bonds division." Ranger informed them.

"But, you can't. We'll go under." Connie nearly yelled.

"I guess you two need to start looking for new jobs." Ranger flashed his two hundred watt smile.

"Oh hell no." Lula took a step towards me.

"Hell yes." I sneered at her.

I turned on my heel and went for the door.

"You are still a disaster, and you always will be. You're going to end up alone just like you deserve." Connie shouted at me.

I ignored her and kept walking. I felt Ranger at my back and just kept moving, I went straight to his Porsche and opened my own door. I slid into the passenger seat and did my own seatbelt as Ranger closed the door. He got in and quickly started the car, it purred to life and he pulled away from the curb. I let out several deep breaths and glanced over at Ranger as he slowed the car and pulled into an alley. He threw the car in park and snapped the button to release my seat belt. He hauled me over the console until I was on his lap. He wrapped his arms around me and I buried my head in his neck.

"You did the right thing. You may not remember now but those two have always been shitty friends. They're wrong about you I hope you know. You will remember that you never chased me or Morelli, we both chased you. We both went after you, if anything you pushed me away, kept me at arms-length. I think there were times you turned Morelli away too, I know you did especially in the beginning." He explained.

"Don't placate me." I mumbled into his neck.

"Babe, I would never do that. Shit, talking this much is going to give me laryngitis." He chuckled.

"Thank you." I kissed his neck.

He kissed my temple and nuzzled against the side of my head. "I got you."

"I'm so damn needy." I sighed.

"I like to feel needed." He joked as I playfully slapped him. "You don't need me Steph, you don't need anyone really."

"But I want you. I always want you with me." I admitted.

"You have me, you've always had me." He whispered.

He shifted me until we were facing each other. I leaned in and pressed my lips to his. The kiss started off lightly and quickly turned sensual. His hands pressed hard against my back and I melted into him. My entire body relaxed completely and I dissolved against him. My mind let go of all the worries and unhappiness that were there minutes ago, all I could think of now was him. His strong toned chest, his muscular arms and talented fingers were my only thoughts. Fingers that were currently sliding down my back and pressing into my ass. I moaned and he deepened the kiss. After several minutes had passed his hands moved to my shoulders and gently pushed me back.

"As much as I would like to relive the memory of 911 sex, you are expected for lunch." He informed me.

"I know." I leaned my forehead against his.

I slowly pulled away from him and moved back into my own seat. I leaned back into the head rest and closed my eyes. I felt him pulling the seat belt across my body and heard it click into place. He kissed my nose and then I felt the car slowly ease from the alley. I kept my eyes closed as I tried to compose myself for the meeting that was about to take place. I was about to tell Morelli that Ranger and I were married. I was about to tell Morelli I never wanted to see him again. I didn't really know what I would say to Angie. I knew I was never to talk to her about her wonderful 'Italian passionate' son again.

****************************************THANK YOU******************************

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to review whether long or short you taking the time for me makes me feel good all day long.

Thank you Olivia for your ideas and the boost you give me.

Thank you Heather for pushing me to get this chapter out quicker.

Jenn- the wind beneath my wings lol


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

My teeth were biting so hard into my bottom lip I was worried I would break the skin, so I pursed my lips and let out a deep breath. We had been sitting at the curb three houses down from the Morelli house for six minutes. It was now four minutes until noon, my expected arrival time. Morelli's green SUV was sitting at the curb right in front of the house where it had been parked since we arrived. I wondered if Grandma Bella was home and if she would be as scary as she was in some of the recent memory flashes I was having. I knew Angie would be there, she was probably bustling around her kitchen right now making the perfect lunch. I wondered how they would react to Ranger being with me, how would they treat me when I announced that I was 'Stephanie Manoso'?

"You don't have to come in." I told Ranger.

"Where you go, I go." He informed me.

"Are you worried he will take me?" I asked.

"He's a loose cannon right now." He told me.

Light split in front of my eyes and I closed them.

 _I saw Morelli in front of me._

" _I don't want you around Manoso, he's a very dangerous man. Not only is he a bad influence on you he is a loose cannon and I don't trust him." He glared at me._

" _He's training me and I work for him when he needs help." I explained._

" _Sure he needs help." He rolled his eyes. "He's a freaking mercenary Cupcake. The only thing he wants you for is to get into your pants."_

"He told me that once." I said when I opened my eyes.

"What Babe?" Ranger leaned in and took my hand in his.

"He…Morelli…he told me you were a loose cannon." I admitted.

"He would be right about that, well as far as he's concerned." He winked at me. "Are you worried?"

"Are you worried I will go back to him?" I asked softly.

"If you would have asked me before Hawaii I would have said yes right away." He paused. "I know you are only remembering small pieces at a time, but I know once you have it all…"

"What was it Rang…Carlos? What was so earth shattering that it changed everything?" I asked

"It wasn't one event Steph. It was our first conversation and each day we spent together after, a true glimpse into what our lives would be like together. I think we both wondered, but never got a chance to test it." He shrugged. "The back and forth crap between Morelli and I isn't really true because I never had you. In Hawaii I had you, and you were only mine."

"You never had me before?" I was confused.

"You were his girlfriend, my friend, my sometimes partner, my occasional lover." He informed me.

"Never your girlfriend?" I asked.

He chuckled. "You were my girlfriend for a couple of days in Hawaii."

"And then I was your wife?" I figured out.

"And then you were my wife." He nodded

"And the vows? We both wanted it? We made the decision to do it? It wasn't just an act?" I asked.

"We both had our eyes wide open Babe. We knew exactly what we were doing and neither one of us hesitated." He smiled.

"Will you tell me about it? Describe it?" I wanted to know.

"Not yet, just give yourself some more time. I want you to remember it on your own." He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips where he placed a kiss on my ring finger.

"You make it sound so…" I couldn't find the word.

"It was Babe, it was" His smile was so big and bright.

"I can do this." I nodded.

"You can do this." He affirmed.

"How will I explain you staying with me?" I asked.

"I'll handle that." He assured me.

"Okay, let's go and get this done." I smiled.

He kissed my hand again before he released it. I unbuckled and opened the door. He met me on the sidewalk, grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. We walked hand and hand towards the Morelli house. I was trying to psyche myself up by chanting in my head. This is going to be fine, Ranger is with me and everything is going to be fine. This is all going to be okay, Morelli deserves to hear the truth from me. He can't hurt me and everything will be fine. It will all work out. He can't hurt me.

"Babe"

I looked up and we were standing at the end of the walkway that led to the front door of Angie Morelli's home. The door opened and Joe stepped out onto the small porch. He had walked out the door with a smile on his face, but his smile quickly faded when he saw Ranger. I suddenly felt really worried that I had disappointed him and released Ranger's hand. The fence that surrounded the yard was chain link and the gate that stood in front of us was the same except for the pieces of green plastic that had been woven in and out like a homemade pot holder. Ranger opened the gate and I walked through it and followed the walk to the porch.

Morelli stepped down the stairs and met me at the bottom. His face morphed from the disappointed look to a smile of satisfaction and he pulled me into his arms. I gave him a hug and then tried to pull away. He held on longer and I was beginning to think this may become a problem. His grip was strong but I suspected he didn't want to make a scene so whether it was because Ranger was there or because we were standing outside he finally let go. He grabbed my hand and started to pull me up the stairs.

"I'll drop her off at Rangeman after lunch." He hollered back towards Ranger.

"That won't be necessary." I heard Ranger's low voice behind me.

Morelli froze and whipped his head around. "You can go."

I felt the heat from Ranger's body right behind me. "I'm staying"

"Listen Manoso, this whole playing house thing ended when you got back to New Jersey so you can let it go now. She is my girlfriend not your wife and we are having lunch with my family. Everything will be just fine and I am quite capable of protecting her." Morelli was glaring now.

"Understood." Ranger nodded to him.

"Come on." Morelli tugged on my hand and opened the door.

"Uhm…" I hesitated.

"What the hell did I just say?" Morelli reeled around when he realized Ranger was still behind us.

"Is that Stephanie?" Angie Morelli called out.

"Yes, it's me." I announced.

"Bring her in here Joseph. Don't stand out on the porch all day." She called out.

"I am just dismissing her bodyguard." He explained.

"Morelli, I go where she goes." Ranger told him.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Morelli focused on Ranger.

"Ranger's here too." I called out.

"There's enough for everyone." She hollered back.

"Let's go." Morelli turned away from Ranger and tugged me into the house.

"Don't stand there in the doorway." Angie Morelli called

She was cleaning off her hands on the bottom of the red apron she was wearing as she came through the doorway. She surveyed the situation carefully, all three of us still standing in the doorway. Her head tilted as she looked Ranger up and down before finally focusing on me. I couldn't read her expression and had no idea what she was thinking, and it made me apprehensive. This had been a bad idea. I felt a tingle through my body screaming at me that coming here had been a terrible idea and it wouldn't end well for anyone.

"I'm so glad you brought your friend, I've wanted a chance to thank him." She turned from me to Ranger. "I'd like to thank you for saving our Stephanie. I know Joseph is very happy to have her back in Trenton safe and sound."

Ranger didn't argue or comment on anything that was said. I suspected he was trying to fade into the background as much as possible. He gave Angie a quick nod and she smiled in return. She turned her back to us and headed back to the kitchen. We were stuck together in the small entry way right inside the door. After Morelli froze we had all been stuck in this position. I could feel Ranger's heat behind me and Joe's chill in front of me.

"Joseph? Aren't you coming in?" Angie peeked her head back in the doorway.

"Sure, uhm yeah." Morelli stuttered. "Come on in."

He made no attempt to make room for me to pass so I turned sideways to move by without brushing up against him. He followed behind me and Ranger passed through the doorway without having to alter his step. I stopped when I got to the living room. The couch was red velvet and covered in plastic, and there were two brown vinyl recliners near the TV. I didn't have much of a chance to survey the room any further because I was suddenly focused on the feel of Morelli's hot breath on the back of my neck. I felt his hand on my back as he gestured with his other hand for me to move forward. We entered the dining room and I glanced around. I didn't recognize the room and had no clue if I had ever been in it before. The room had a window but the heavy green curtains covered the sides partially, not allowing in much sun. The walls were painted mustard yellow with dark green accents along the baseboards. The table was already set with white china that had etched fruit decorating the edges. There were four places set and Morelli looked back at Ranger with a frown.

"Is Grandma joining us? There are not enough plates if she is, maybe Manoso should take a rain check." Morelli called out to his mother.

"Set an extra plate." She hollered back. "Stephanie, come help me."

I glanced at Ranger and he gave a slight shake of his head, his response was no. I hesitated as I looked back and forth from the door to Ranger. The door opened and Angie Morelli stepped out carrying a platter with garlic bread. I smiled at her as she carried it to the table.

"Come help with the salad, the ziti is almost done." She told me.

"Okay." I followed behind her.

We entered the kitchen together and the smell of garlic and basil immediately washed over me. This room was much brighter than the dining room. The walls were painted bright yellow and the curtains that covered the window above the sink were sheer. Her appliances were old but well maintained, the counters were spotless. It was as if no one ever cooked in here, even though I know she had been cooking all morning. I saw the bowls of tomatoes, onions, carrot strips, cheese and a big bowl full of shredded romaine lettuce. I made my way to the counter and she nodded to me when I started adding the ingredients. I used two wooden spoons to toss the salad before adding croutons.

"I'm so glad you're here." She patted my hand before handing me the carafe of salad dressing.

"Thank you for inviting me." I gave her a slight smile.

"Next time you plan on bringing a guest I hope you let me know first. I know you have better manners than that." She chastised me.

"Yes, I know…I'm sorry." I stumbled.

"It's okay Stephanie, you're a good girl." She nodded at me.

"Thank you." I spoke softly.

"I hope you know how much we love you." She laid her hand on my forearm.

"Uhm…" I bit my lip.

"You are the best thing that ever happened to my Joseph, and how he feels for you? I'm breathless sometimes at how he talks about you. Seeing the way he looks at you, such heated passion in his eyes. Every mother prays that her son will find a woman who sets his soul on fire and that's you." She patted the arm she had her hand rested on.

"Thank you." I almost shrugged.

"No one will ever love you like he does Stephanie." She clasped her hands together. "That boy loves you with every ounce of his being."

I just nodded in response, stepped away from the counter and carried my items back into the dining room. Ranger and Joe were standing about two feet from each other and both were glowering. I felt as if I had missed a very important exchange and I was curious what they had spoken about but I didn't dare ask either one of them right now. I set the salad and dressing down as Angie squeezed in beside me and set down the ziti. I stood back as she bustled back into the kitchen and quickly reemerged with a bowl of Parmesan cheese with a small spoon inside.

"Lunch time." She smiled.

She moved to sit down and I looked around wondering where I should go. The table was set with six chairs and five place settings, I could see two extra chairs against the wall with a leaf in between them. Morelli sat down at the head of the table and glanced to his right before smiling at me. His mother took my hand and led me to that seat while quickly sliding in beside me. Ranger moved to the other side of Morelli and sat down across from me.

Before serving herself, Mrs. Morelli passed me the salad. I took the bowl from her and scooped up some onto my plate. Then I passed it to Joe.

"So what have you been doing since you got back from Hawaii?" She asked me as she picked up the ziti and passed it to me.

"Taking my time and getting reoriented with my life." I answered as I served myself some ziti. I passed it to Joe.

She picked up the Parmesan and passed it to me. "What kind of things?"

"Just going to some different places and seeing what memories come back to me." I explained.

"So you haven't gotten all of your memories back yet," She questioned.

"They come in bits and pieces. I get more of them when something triggers them." I went into detail.

"What triggers them?" Angie asked with clear curiosity.

I shrugged. "Words, phrases, places, there is no one exact thing."

"So Cupcake, since you can't remember how to do your job you're going to quit now right?" Joe chuckled.

"Um Joe, I'm not trying to make any life changing decisions while I can't really remember everything." I enlightened him.

"But you need the money. Why don't you move in with me and let your crappy apartment go, then you won't have to work at all anymore." Joe persisted. "You won't have to worry about anything and I can take care of you."

"I'm not sick." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"That's not what I meant." He corrected me.

"Joe I'm doing Ok. I don't need money right now." I expounded.

"Cupcake you can't live off of Manoso. Come live with me I can support you." Joe rolled his eyes at me exasperated.

"No Joe, I have money from catching the Rug. So I can be out of work for a while. I'm not living off of anyone." I told him.

"Still you should come live with me. Let me take care of you." Joe almost pleaded.

"I can't do that right now. I need to be on my own to get my life back." I rationalized.

I was starting to relax when I heard a noise from the other room. We all turned to look at the doorway as an older woman entered the frame. The air was suddenly sucked out of the room and you could feel the tension in the air. She was short and wore a long black dress. Her silver hair was resting low in a tight bun near her neck. When she saw me her eyes narrowed and settled on me with a look that could kill. I couldn't hold back the slight gasp that escaped my lips.

"What is this one doing here?" She growled as she pointed my way.

"Grandma Bella, we told you Stephanie was coming to lunch." Angie reminded her.

"Do you remember Grandma Bella, Cupcake?" Morelli asked me.

I shook my head no. I knew I had seen her in one of my memories and I had a vague feeling we had no love lost between us. She made me nervous and put me on edge. The look of disgust on her face made her message to me clear, she didn't approve. She glanced at Joe and her face lit up, her eyes sparkled, and she gazed at him as if he hung the moon. She walked around the table starting at Ranger and glaring at the back of his head. When she got to Morelli she patted his shoulder and kissed his temple. I felt an icy shiver go through my body as she moved past me. She stopped next to Angie and gently patted her shoulder. She stood at her chair and Ranger got to his feet, she looked at him with a blank face and then back to Joe with raised eyebrows. He quickly got to his feet and she nodded before sitting down.

"We waited for you. I fixed your plate." Angie told her as she gestured to the plate full of food in Bella's spot.

"Let's pray." She announced.

I glanced around the table as the Morelli's bowed their heads. I lowered my head but kept my eyes up to see. Ranger was staring into mine and I watched the corners of his mouth lift into a slight smile and a nod. Maybe this would be okay, we could get this over with and get back to our time getting to know wach other better.

"Amen." Joe announced as they all pulled their heads up.

"Now why is the little puttana here?" The grandmother asked. (whore)

"We don't talk like that in my home." Angie warned her.

"Where's the vino? I need vino if I have to eat with these people." The old woman droned on. (wine)

Angie got up and grabbed the bottle of wine from the table. She moved around quickly as she filled each glass. I ignored the wine and took a sip from the water that had already been sitting at my place.

"Grandma Bella be nice. Stephanie and I are going to get married." Morelli held up both hands palms out.

"She's already married." Bella informed him as she gestured towards my left hand.

"No, you don't understand." He began.

"Uhm Joe, we need to talk. After lunch…" I stopped when I heard Angie's fork hit the plate.

"Why is he here?" Bella jerked her thumb towards Ranger.

"He's Stephanie's friend. He brought her back to Joseph." Angie answered her.

"And my Joseph? What is he to you?" Bella asked me.

"My friend." I answered.

Joe chuckled. "I think we're a little more than friends Cupcake."

"Don't be so pushy Joe." Angie cautioned.

"Why is she a cupcake?" Bella asked.

"It's what I've always called her." Joe patted my hand.

"It's a childish name." Bella sneered.

When he touched me I realized I wasn't eating. I glanced at him and smiled before lifting up my fork. This was going to be even harder than I thought and I had already assumed it would be pretty hard. So his Grandmother hated me and his mother loves me. What did they know about our relationship? I wasn't really sure who I was supposed to listen to.

"Is someone after you? Is that why you need a bodyguard?" Angie asked

"I think they're might be this PI from Hawaii..." I trailed off when Joe stiffened.

"PI?" Bella asked.

"Private investigator." I explained

"Why is a private investigator after you?" Angie asked.

"Someone hired him to watch me and it seems he kind of got a little obsessed." I shrugged.

"Who would hire someone to watch you? Does this have to do with the Rug?" Angie asked.

"How did he become obsessed? How do you know? Did something happen?" Morelli raised an eyebrow.

"He had pictures of me all over his office." I stared into Joe's eyes.

"Isn't that his job?" Joe rolled his eyes.

"Pictures as big as posters, pictures he photo shopped himself into and he had personal items." I informed him.

"What personal items?" Bella wanted to know.

"Who would hire someone to watch you like that?" Angie gathered her sweater close to her neck.

"I don't know." I shot a look at Joe and decided to ignore Bella.

"Probably has to do with the Rug." Grandma Bella offered.

"I don't think so." I shook my head.

"You should have left him alone. Leave sleeping dogs lie." Bella nodded.

"It's my job." I told her.

"Your job is having babies." Bella announced.

"I don't know if I ever want kids." I told her.

"Bite your tongue." Angie's hand flew to her chest.

"See Joseph? She's not the one." Bella shook her head.

"When's the date? Have you two set a date?" Angie asked.

"A date for what?" I was confused.

"The wedding Cupcake." Joe pushed back from the table.

"I don't even have a ring remember?" I reminded Joe.

He glanced at Ranger with a smirk, dug into his pocket and went down on one knee. Oh no! Oh no! Please don't do this. I was begging in my head. He grabbed my left hand and quickly shot a look back up at me when he saw the rings were still there. My stomach turned and I felt the wave of nausea waft through me. This was it, I had to tell him. His mom and Grandmother would hate me. I glanced at my Carlos and he gave me a tight lipped smile and a slight nod, he had my back. I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. Joe reached for the rings on my finger and started to move them before I jerked my hand back.

"Cupcake." His brows furrowed.

"Let me get the camera." Angie clapped her hands together.

"Joe, may I speak to you privately?" I asked him.

"No. I don't want to miss anything." Angie flew from her chair.

"Joe, I really don't want to have this conversation in front of your mother and grandmother." I leaned in close so he would hear me.

"But you don't mind talking in front of Manoso?" His eyes narrowed.

I grabbed his hands and stood up as I pulled him to his feet. Angie came running back into the room and began taking pictures. Morelli's hands turned over and gripped mine tightly. I gasped at the pain and glanced at Ranger giving him a look that I hope told him to stay put for now. I yanked my hands back from Joe and Angie froze. She stopped taking pictures and straightened up from her crouched position. She shot Joe a look of warning and took a step towards him. She smiled and patted his arm before she pulled our hands back together. She looked at each of us with a smile and a nod.

"This is how you two belong. Two Italians over flowing with passion, which is why you both yell and wave your arms around." she giggled. "You are perfect for each other."

"Mrs. Morelli..." I began.

"Call me Angie." she pulled me into a hug. "or mom."

"If she makes you happy I will bite my tongue and stay out of our business." Grandma Bella told her grandson.

"She makes me very happy." Morelli pulled my hands to his chest as soon as Angie released me.

I glanced at Carlos and he raised an eyebrow in question. I gave him a slight head shake. I wanted to handle this on my own. I needed to just bite the bullet and get this over with, waiting wouldn't make it any easier. At least Grandma Bella would be happy.

"Angie, can you sit down for a minute?" I asked her.

"Just take your time to think before you make any big decisions." She had a worried look in her eyes, but moved back to her seat.

"Let's get those rings off so I can finish here. I am sure Manoso is anxious to return them to the store." Joe gave me a forced smile.

I pulled my hands from his and placed my right hand on his chest, holding him away from me. A look of hurt came across his face and then confusion set in. He tilted his head and waited for me to talk.

"Joe, I can't take the rings off." I spoke softly.

He paused for a moment and then smirked and nodded his head. "Tracker? Okay, we'll get you a new tracker planted in something else."

He reached for my left hand. "No Joe, Ranger and I are married."

He laughed. "No Cupcake, that was just for the case."

"We're married for real, we attended a vow renewal service and it was real. We said "I Do." It was legal." I dropped my hand as I felt his heart race.

"Do you remember the ceremony?" He asked me.

"Not yet." I admitted.

"How do you know he's not lying to you?" He snapped his head and shot Ranger a nasty look.

"It's true Joe, I'm sorry." I whispered the apology.

"I can't believe this. You can't do this. You don't remember yet. You don't know how much you love him, you don't know how good you two are." Angie begged.

I spun around to face her and took a step towards her. "Oh you would be surprised what I remember."

She gasped and clutched at her shirt. "You're not seeing clearly."

"I'm not sitting around for this." Bella stood up. "I put the eye on all of you."

"Grandma Bella?" Joe asked her.

"You should all get exactly what you deserve." She rolled her eyes and left the room.

"She's had some dementia lately." Angie slumped down to sit in her seat.

"Stephanie, Cupcake, I love you. I have loved you my whole life. Marry me. Marry me and be my wife, be the mother of my children, be my everything." Joe pleaded as he moved onto his knee again.

"I'm already married Joe. I am married to Carlos." I explained.

"Carlos?" Joe said it like he had a bad taste in his mouth.

"You know I'm talking about Ranger. You know you and I don't belong together. I do remember _some things_ Joe. I remember what happened before I left for Hawaii." I spoke my words barely above a whisper.

He hung his head and his breath caught. I wasn't sure if he was having a panic attacking or crying. His body was shuddering and his breath was catching in his throat. I could hear Angie crying behind me. I glanced at Ranger but his face was blank, absolute stone like there was nothing going on around him. I felt the tears that stayed just behind my eyes and fought to keep them away. I patted Joe's shoulder and moved down to kneel in front of him. I kept repeating to him that it was going to be okay. I kept repeating that things would get better, but he never looked at me.

"Joe, you need to get help. You have this family history that haunts your life and you need help. You can be happy and find the right person, you will find that person." I assured him.

"Like you did?" His head snapped up.

I hesitated. "Yes."

I closed my eyes for just one second and the room went crazy. There was a loud growl, a thud and a feminine gasp and the next thing I heard was silence as I felt the muzzle of his gun pressed into my forehead. I closed and opened my eyes a few times because I thought I might have been dreaming or had another memory. My eyes shot to the left and Ranger was standing, the chair behind him on the floor. To the right there was no one, I assumed Angie was still sitting in her chair. I looked up through my lashes without moving my head. Morelli and I locked eyes and I held the connection.

"Morelli." I heard Ranger's voice.

"How could you do this to me?" Morelli was speaking only to me.

"I didn't…I'm sorry…I" I couldn't seem to focus on anything else except the cold medal pressing into my forehead.

"Cupcake, we had it all." His voice shook with rage.

"I didn't plan this Joe, but I am his wife." I admitted.

"You can get an annulment, a divorce, something." His voice was tight in his throat.

"Joe." I used a calming voice.

"Cupcake, don't you know how much I love you?" He asked me.

"You don't yell and scream at people you love, you don't try to change them. I do have some memories Joe and not many of them have been good." I told him.

"There's so much more to remember, over twenty years of history between us." His hands were steady.

"Like you hurting me? Like you hitting me?" I felt a tear fall down my cheek.

"Stephanie Michelle Plum." Angie gasped.

I started to turn my head to face her but was stopped by the pressing of the gun against my skin. I used my eyes to plead with Morelli, but he had on his cop face. He showed no emotion. I felt myself beginning to sweat and I was focusing on taking slow breaths so I wouldn't pass out.

"Italians have so much love and passion inside of them Stephanie. It's the best and worst quality at the same time. You have to understand how powerful that love can be. Sometimes it just explodes out because it's too much to contain." She moves closer as she spoke.

"No Angie, no that's not right. That night you came to Joe's house when I was hurt." I sniffled.

"Which one?" She asked.

"Which one?" I repeated.

She suddenly seemed to realize that she had given me information I didn't already have. My eyes closed and she was there with me in Joe's house.

 _I was on my knees in front of the toilet throwing up with Angie's hand in my hair. As soon as I got control myself I sat back onto my heels and took the wash cloth she held out for me._

" _What happened?" I asked her._

" _Joe said you just passed out on the couch and then said you felt sick." She told me._

" _I don't remember. I came over to watch the game and eat some pizza. We had an argument about a skip and I needed to leave I turned to get my bag and then I don't remember anything." My hand flew to the back of my head._

" _Joe said you had a bump. He thinks you got hurt during the day and might be suffering a concussion." She informed me._

" _During the day? Where is he? Why are you here?" I asked._

" _He got called out for a case but didn't want you left alone" She rubbed my shoulder._

"How many times?" I asked her.

"I don't know what you mean Stephanie." She sounded hesitant.

"How many fucking times did you cover for him? How many fucking times did you help him cover up hurting me? How many fucking times did you enable him?" I nearly screamed at her.

"Stephanie please, he loves you." She pleaded

"I made mistakes." Joe whispered. "I will get help."

"No." I tried to shake my head but he pressed the gun harder against me once again forcing my head back.

"Cupcake." He pleaded.

"Shut up Joe. Shut up." The tears exploded from my eyes.

His eyes narrowed and fixed on me with a glare before he spoke through gritted teeth. "Don't push me."

"Stephanie, you need to get yourself together. Joseph needs you and you need him. You two belong together. He loves you." Angie's voice was laced with sadness.

"You know we belong together, we can fix this. Quit that job and settle down. We can make some beautiful babies. Cupcake, I love you." He whispered.

"Joe you're holding a gun to my head. You don't hurt and threaten the people you love." I supported.

He didn't speak. We were both on our knees face to face. My arms hung dead at my sides and he had both hands surrounding the gun he had aimed at my head. I couldn't believe he had a gun aimed at my head, this isn't love. My eyes darted to Ranger he seemed frozen, but only for a second. I quickly realized he had been moving closer and closer, centimeter by centimeter. He was almost at the point where he could kick out and hit Morelli. I needed to buy time, I needed to get my crap together and figure out how to get the gun away from Morelli. I saw Ranger move just a tiny bit and then Morelli started to glance to the side. I had to do something to distract him.

"Let me go. Put your gun away. You would lose your badge. You would lose everything. You would go to jail for life." I told Morelli.

"Don't you want me anymore?" He asked.

"Joe, stop this." I implored him.

"Damn it Cupcake. Don't make me do this." He shook his head.

"Make you? I am not making you do anything." I glared at him.

"Joseph, you can't do this. She'll never marry you with a gun to her head." His mother pleaded coming closer.

"Momma she can't marry me if she's married to him." Joe said.

"Honey, she loves you. She just can't remember everything right. When she gets her memory back she'll remember how much she loves you." She was standing next to Joe now and bent over putting her hand on his arm.

Joe looked at me and studied my face. He glanced at his mother out of the side of his eyes, unwilling to turn his head away from me. I could hear her stepping away from us.

"You'll get your memory back and remember you love me. That we're supposed to be together. You just need to stay away from Manoso." Joe announced.

"No Joe. You've hit me, you've hurt me-""You are going to divorce him. You are going to come back to me." He commanded.

"No, I will not." I spoke through gritted teeth.

His eyes grew wide with surprise and then dark with anger. "If I can't have you, no one will."

I closed my eyes trying to center myself and keep calm. Before I could take my next breath the room exploded and the gun went off. My head jerked back and my eyes shot open. I looked at Morelli, Ranger was behind him with his forearm wrapped around Morelli's neck. I looked down and found the gun on the floor in front of me. I grabbed it and jumped to my feet. I looked around and quickly noticed Angie was slumped back in her chair. My eyes focused on the blood, the red liquid that covered the hand she had clutched to her chest. I dropped the gun and rushed to her. I grabbed the cloth napkin from the table and pressed it into her chest.

"Oh my God! Joe what did you do!" I cried out.

"I don't…I didn't…He grabbed me…It's all his fault." Joe stammered starting to struggle against Ranger.

I grabbed another napkin and pressed harder as I heard the distant whine of sirens. Morelli began arguing with Ranger as he struggled against his unbreakable hold. I blinked and fought against the black dots that swam around in my vision. My ears were filled with the loud sound of my heart, no more sirens, no more of Morelli's voice, just the incredibly fast thuds of my pulsating heart.

*******************************THANK YOU*******************************

Wow Donna! Thanks for the long well thought out review, your ideas made me smile.

Thank you so much Cornfedfiddler for enjoying what I do and for being pretty awesome with your work.

Thanks Jenn!- You know why!


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22-

"Move aside." The EMS worker told me.

I sat back onto my heels and watched the man inspect Angie's injuries. There was more commotion behind me but I didn't turn around. I couldn't turn around; my eyes were glued on the scene in front of me. Angie was out cold, I was wondering if it was from shock or blood loss. I knew she wasn't dead because I had felt her heart beating when I was trying to contain the blood.

"Can you tell us exactly what happened?" The officer asked me.

I was sitting on the front porch of the Morelli house staring down at my blood covered hands, they wouldn't stop shaking. Angie had already been taken away by the ambulance and Bella in the M.E.'s truck. Bella had suffered from a heart attack that most likely occurred shortly after she heard the gunshot go off. I didn't like her but I wouldn't wish her dead. I glanced up to survey the scene. Morelli was being questioned by two police officers in suits who I assumed were detectives while Ranger was being questioned by two other detectives on the other side of the lawn. People were scattered on the sidewalk craning to see what was going on. Some of the people were snapping pictures with their cell phones.

I still didn't have a complete fix on what had happened in the last couple of minutes before Angie was shot. I didn't know where the gun ended up or what happened with the struggle between Ranger and Morelli. I still had fear rushing through my blood and was finding it hard to calm down. I found myself constantly touching my forehead to make sure the gun was no longer pressed against it. It was as if I could still feel it cold and hard against my skin.

"Stephanie, I know you probably don't remember me but I am Eddie Gazzara. I married your cousin Shirley so we consider each other family. I just want to help you. That's why I made sure I was the one to talk to you first." The officer told me.

I looked up into his kind face and he gave me a slight smile. He had short brown hair and big brown eyes. He had the body of a man who liked his donuts, but could still run down a perp without too much wheezing. I wasn't quite sure where to begin or how to explain what happened to him. Was he truly someone I considered family? I wasn't sure if I could trust him, I still couldn't believe all that I was finding out about Morelli. Where were the good memories? Why had I ever dated him in the first place?

"I…I…" I shook my head and blew out a breath.

"Take your time." He encouraged me.

"He held the gun to my head." I managed.

"Manoso?" Eddie asked.

"NO!" I exclaimed.

"Morelli?" He looked confused.

"Yes Morelli. I told him I was married to Ranger, and I wasn't going to be getting a divorce. I remembered some things about Morelli and the way things were between us." I shook my head.

"Your relationship was always a bit rocky." Eddie patted my hand.

"His mother she…Angie…so much blood." I was just babbling.

"You're married to Ranger and Morelli had his gun on you?" Eddie still seemed in shock.

"YES! That's what I'm trying to tell you." I growled.

"Okay Steph, I'm listening. Try to start at the beginning. Why were you and Ranger here? Just take it nice and easy, take deep breaths." He encouraged.

"We came for lunch. I needed to explain to Joe that Ranger and I were married. Morelli, he invited us here to his mom's house." I started.

"Joe has been trying to get back together with me since I lost my memory. But most of the memories I've had of Joe and I haven't been good ones. Eddie before I went to Hawaii Joe called me a whore and hit me with such force I was knocked down to the floor." I explained.

"He what?" Eddie sounded shocked.

"He hit me and I don't think it was the first time. I have two other memories of Mrs. Morelli coming over to Joe's house to take care of me because I supposedly tripped during an argument, hit my head, blacked out and woke up not able to remember what happened." I told him.

"That doesn't sound right. When you say Mrs. Morelli I assume you mean Angie not Bella." He clarified.

"Yes Angie." I

"So what happened today?" He probed.

"Joe invited me over to talk. Ranger came with me because he didn't trust Joe not to get physical with me. So part way through lunch Joe slips down to one knee and proposes to me." I described.

"Even though you're already married?" He replied.

"Well that's what happened. I told him Ranger and I were really married." I explained.

"I trust he didn't take it well." Eddie added.

"No he didn't. First, he jumped up to yell at me, then crumpled to his knees defeated. I knelt in front of him trying to console him and he pulled his gun and pressed it to my forehead. Is there a red spot right here?" I asked Eddie pointing to my forehead. "Because he pressed it there so long and hard he was forcing my head back." I told him.

Eddie leaned in to look at me. "There maybe something there. It looks like a red spot but it also looks like a small bruise. What happened after that?" He delved deeper.

"Joe demanded I divorce Ranger and marry him. Angie came over and was trying to get Joe to put down the gun. She was trying to convince him that when I got my memories back I would remember I loved him. I told Joe that I wasn't coming back to him. That he had hit me and hurt me. He said if he couldn't have me nobody could. What happened next was so fast. Ranger grabbed Joe and pulled him off me. The gun somehow went off and Angie was in her chair bleeding and I went over and put napkins on her chest and tried to keep pressure on it. Then the ambulance came and the police." I gave him all the details.

"And that's everything that happened?" He quizzed.

"Yeah basically." I started to tear up to cry again. My head had been pounding since Joe had fired that shot and I needed some meds.

I looked down at my blood covered hands and then back up at Eddie. I wanted to clean my hands; I needed to get the blood off of them. I rubbed them on my jeans but there was already blood there and some had dried up. I finally gave up and looked up at Eddie he gave me a slight shrug like he was unsure what to say to me. When I glanced around him I could see the crowd outside the fence had doubled.

"Can I get cleaned up?" I asked him.

"Not yet, they need to take pictures and probably a sample. Whatever they're going to do, we need to wait for the okay. I'll text the chief and see what he has to say, I don't want to leave you alone." He pulled out his phone.

"The chief?" I asked.

"Yes, he's your godfather." He informed me.

"Oh wow, okay." I was surprised.

"Excuse me Eddie." A voice interrupted.

I looked up to see Tank standing in front of us. I hadn't even noticed him approaching. I glanced around the yard again, my eyes opened wide as I watched the officers handcuffing Morelli. I looked to where Ranger stood and he was also being handcuffed. I jumped to my feet and stepped forward when Tank stopped me. I tried to move around him but he grabbed my shoulders to keep me in place.

"What's going on?" I asked Tank.

"Stephanie Plum?" An officer approached from the side.

"Yes." I answered nervously.

"You are under arrest for the attempted murder of Angie Morelli." The officer pulled handcuffs out from behind his back.

"Murder? You've got to be kidding." Eddie shook his head.

"Detective Hawley's call." The officer gave an irritating smug look to Eddie.

"Bullshit." Eddie glared back at him. "He has a personal issue with Steph."

"I'm just following orders." The officer shrugged.

"Uhm what? It was Morelli…Joe Morelli did it." I offered. "What's going on? I don't understand."

"Gaspick, I could have done that. You didn't need to come over here at all." Eddie glared at the still smirking officer.

"Stephanie, don't say anything else until the lawyer comes. The Rangeman lawyer will meet you at the station. Don't say anything to anyone." Tank explained.

"But, what's going on? I don't understand." More tears.

"Turn around." The officer directed.

"I'm sorry Steph." Eddie told me. "Don't worry, I will do everything I can to help you."

The officer snapped the cuffs onto my wrists tightly as he read me my rights. Eddie was admonishing him for being so rough but the officer didn't seem to care. I heard a commotion as a woman was pushing her way through the crowd. It was my Grandma Mazur wearing a huge smile that spread across her whole face.

"Is it true?" She looked around expectantly. "Why isn't someone playing 'Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead'?"

My eyes were wide as I glanced at the faces in the crowd, some were sad, some surprised but many happy faces mixed in as well.

"No more of that nasty old woman scaring the crap out of people with her old ancient eye. This is the best day ever." She wiggled her butt in a little dance.

I watched dumbfounded as she continued to dance around. People turned their phones to her and other tried to stifle their laughs. I froze when I heard a shrill voice trying to push through the huge crowd that now spilled out onto the street. Everyone froze and looked at the woman shoving her way through the crowd. She stopped in front of Grandma and glared at her until the dancing stopped. She then turned towards me and charged forward.

"Stephanie Michelle Plum!" It was my mother.

I ignored her and dropped my head to my chest. Maybe if I pretended I didn't hear her she would go away, but I highly doubted I could be that lucky. Maybe the cop would bring me to the squad car before she had a chance to say anything else. The officer spun me around and grabbed my wrists as he started ushering me towards a squad car that was parked nearly a block away from the Morelli house. When I caught her eye she glared at me. I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes tightly as I wished her away.

"How could you?" She asked me.

"How could I what? What are you talking about?" I asked her.

"You came here with him!" She glared at Ranger as she shouted. "You have completely embarrassed me and the rest of your family. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"Ashamed of myself for what?" I felt my eyebrows furrow as I looked up at her.

"For bringing that killer, that thug here to your engagement party. Everyone knows he was always jealous of Joseph. We all knew he was constantly trying to get you away from the man you were destined to be with. What happened? Did he plan to kill every Morelli he could?" She suggested.

"Engagement party? What the hell are you talking about?" I stopped walking as I questioned her.

"Everyone knew Joe invited you over to finally propose. He even showed me the ring." She said smirking at me.

"Mom I'm already married." I told her. "I can't get engaged.

"Well that was just a farce in Hawaii. It wasn't real." She explained.

"Mom it was real. We really got married." I clarified.

"What?" She shrieked. "Well you can get a divorce. You can't be married to that lawbreaker. What will everybody say! You must get a divorce immediately." She demanded.

"Is that why he attacked Joe because you were going to leave him now that you know Joe has a ring and is serious?" She continued.

"You are so uninformed. Where the hell do you get your information? Morelli was going to kill me." The tears stung my eyes.

I could have sworn I heard her mumble. "Maybe he should have."

I gave her a look of confusion but my mother simply rolled her eyes at me. I glanced around at the crowd of people but all I saw were shaking heads and looks of disdain. There were still several who were taking pictures and a few older women shaking their heads at me as if I had done something wrong. What was the matter with these people? I felt Tank's presence behind me as he whispered words of encouragement and kept reminding me not to say anything else. I nodded my head and dropped it back down to my chest.

"What are you doing here with him anyway? You don't bring your ex-husband to meet your new husband's family." My mother shrieked.

I ignored her and tried moving forward, but she was right in front of me now and blocked my path.

"How dare you? Going off with another thug while Angie could be dead." She glared. "Is it true? Did you kill Bella?"

"Ma'am." The officer addressed her.

"I want answers." My mother demanded.

"I have nothing more to say to you. You have no idea what happened." I told her without looking up.

"You will answer me Stephanie Plum." Her hands were on her hips.

"Let's go." The officer ordered.

"It's Stephanie Manoso." I hissed in my mother's face as the officer ushered me past her.

He yanked my arms as he pulled me to the side so we could move around my mother. She was still talking but I completely tuned her out. I couldn't believe this was happening; I needed to talk to Ranger, I needed to be with him. The officer placed his hand on my head as he guided me into the back of the car.

"I'll be right behind you." Tank assured me before the door closed.

When I got to the station Eddie appeared at my side, apparently I was the last to arrive as I saw other cars filling the spots near the main entrance. Tank jogged up from behind and joined us as I was led into the station. Tank waited by the front desk as I went through the booking process, once again he reminded me to wait for the lawyer before talking to anyone. I finally got the opportunity to get cleaned up and was given an orange jumpsuit when they collected my blood covered clothes. I was led to a cell and locked in alone to wait for the lawyer after I refused to answer any questions.

I started thinking about exactly what had happened. I could almost still feel the gun Morelli had kept pressed against my forehead. I don't actually know what happened because I had closed my eyes for a second. When Ranger grabbed Morelli to get him off of me, Morelli's arm must have swung around heading straight for Angie. The gun went off and she must have been hit. After I moved the gun away I went to her so I had no idea what the guys did after that. I remembered the EMT's pushing me away when they came onto the scene, and the way Morelli cried out when the officers found Bella. I buried my head in my hands as I worried what would happen to us all. I jumped when I heard the door to my cell open and in walked in Eddie.

"Come on Steph, your lawyer is here." He waved me over to the door.

He loosely cuffed me again and led me down a hall towards some open doors. We went into the room where a man was waiting. He was wearing an expensive navy suit that was obviously tailored just for him. He had silver hair and blue eyes, he flashed me a smile as he set his briefcase onto the table. He shot Eddie a look and a nod before Eddie took off my handcuffs. I reflexively rubbed my sore wrists even though Eddie hadn't put them on tight and the man stepped forward while extending his hand.

"Hi Stephanie, I am Spencer Carlson the Rangeman attorney." He announced.

I shook his hand as I sat down in the chair. Eddie patted my shoulder before he left the room. Mr. Carlson sat across from me and pulled a yellow pad and a fancy pen from his brief case.

"I spoke to Carlos already, he tells me you are newlyweds." he smiled.

"Yes, we were married in Hawaii." I nodded.

"And Detective Joseph Morelli is your ex-boyfriend?" He clarified.

"Yes." I nodded again.

"Okay, tell me what occurred today once you and Carlos arrived at the Morelli house." He encouraged.

I folded my hands in front of me. "We went there to explain that we were legally married and to make sure he understood there would be no reconciliation between us."

"Why did Carlos go with you?" He inquired.

"I was in a car accident in Hawaii and I lost my memory. Recently I have started regaining bits and pieces here and there. I remembered one occasion when Joe hit me as well as a couple more where I believe he hit me and brought in his mother to take care of me." I told him.

"And how did Detective Morelli's service revolver enter the situation?" Mr. Carlson asked.

"Morelli pulled it out and pressed it into my forehead. He had proposed to me and I explained I was already married. He was very upset and I went to my knees to try to assist him in getting onto his feet. He made mention of something like if he couldn't have me no one would." I explained.

"Where was Angie Morelli during this confrontation and where was Carlos?" He continued with his questions.

"Carlos was on his feet when Morelli pulled the gun and moving closer to towards where Joe stood probably trying to get me out of harm's way. Angie was standing next to Joe with her hand on his arm trying to get him to put down the gun at one point." I explained.

"What happened next?" He pushed.

"Carlos was able to get to Joe and I had closed my eyes briefly trying to maintain my composure just before the gun went off. When I opened my eyes, Carlos had his forearm pinned against Joe's throat and I turned to realize Angie had been shot. I went to her and pressed a napkin to the wound to try and stop the bleeding until the EMS arrived." I continued.

"So you didn't see what happened with Carlos and Morelli after that?" he was writing.

"No." I paused. "Oh wait. I took the gun. When Carlos grabbed Joe the gun fell on the floor in front of them. I picked it up and set it on the table away from Morelli before I went to Angie."

"You picked up the gun?" He stilled.

"Yes." I affirmed.

"Okay we need to get a gun residue test on you right away to prove you didn't fire the gun." He explained.

"Okay." I nodded.

"Morelli is saying he pulled the gun to protect himself against an unwarranted attack by Carlos and the gun went off accidentally." Mr. Carlson informed me.

"No." I shook my head. "That didn't happen., He had the freaking gun pointed to my forehead. I couldn't even turn my head because he kept pressing it against my skin. Do I have a spot right here on my forehead?" He leaned in close to look at me.

"There may be something there." He finally responded sitting back in his chair.

"Well he had his gun pressed against me so hard it was pressing my head back. For a long time, for like five minutes or more." I told him.

"Well the cops are not sure they believe that story. Joe has told everyone Ranger came over to attack him so he could get rid of the competition and when you realized it you were trying to help Ranger and not Joe." He gave me the details.

"That's ridiculous. If he was competition and I was there to leave Ranger to be with Joe, why would I have come with Ranger?" I questioned.

"I didn't say it made sense, just that it is why they arrested you for murder, a charge I am sure that will be dropped down to manslaughter." He expounded.

"So what happens to me now?" I asked him.

"Don't worry. We should have no problem getting you bailed out once we get the residue test. Tank is already waiting to pay the bail." He reached across the table and patted my hand.

"What about Carlos?" I asked.

"That will be more difficult. They are not sure what they are going to charge him with. Testing on his hands has been done but Morelli claims Carlos fought over the gun so there wouldn't be his prints on it anyway." He told me.

"But that's not how it happened. How long can they keep him?" I asked.

"They have twenty-four hours to bring formal charges and go before a judge. Then he should be bonded out tomorrow, I don't see any reason why the judge won't set his bail." He was writing more notes.

"This is all my fault. We should have never gone to his mom's house for the meeting." a tear streamed down my face.

"It's going to be okay." He patted my hand again. "I need to get working on this case. I will have them perform the tests on your hands and you should be able to go before the judge for him to set your bail before five o'clock. I don't have to tell you not to leave the state."

"I'm not going anywhere without Carlos." I told him.

"You need to go back to Rangeman and stay there." he told me.

"But Ranger..." I trailed off.

"He will be worried for your safety, and he needs to focus on watching his back.." He warned me.

"Okay." I nodded.

Four hours later I was back at Rangeman with Bobby hovering over me making sure I was alright. He took pictures of my forehead and the half moon bruise that was forming there. Then I was sitting in the conference room explaining what had happened at the Morelli house. The guys didn't seem worried about Ranger getting out, but maybe they were hiding it so I wouldn't be upset.

"You look like you are in pain, Angelito." Hector said.

"I've had this headache since the shooting." I told him. He disappeared and reappeared minutes later with my pain meds and a glass of water.

"Has anyone heard anything about Angie?" I asked.

"I have my contact at the hospital watching her, but she is stable and out of surgery. The bullet hit just to the left and below her heart. It nicked a lung but they were able to remove the bullet without damaging any vital organs." Bobby informed me.

"That's great, and then she can tell the police that Joe fired the gun." I was excited.

"Do you think she will?" Lester asked.

"Of course she will." I answered quickly and then thought for a moment. "I mean she will right?"

"Morelli is her son. I don't know what story she will tell the police but it is highly unlikely she will implicate her son in the shooting." Lester didn't look hopeful. I thought about it knowing he was probably right.

"I want to go see Ranger." I told Tank.

He shook his head. "He wants you here safe. He will be out tomorrow."

"But…I…" I bit my lower lip as tears filled my eyes.

Lester grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. "It's going to be okay."

"What if it's not? What if he has to stay in jail?" I sniffled.

"That's not going to happen." Lester told me.

"I'm going to order some pizza and we can do some brainstorming on how we can help from out here." Tank announced.

We ate dinner in the conference room and tossed around ideas that might help Ranger. We couldn't come up with any real way to help except check into what Morelli had been up to recently and gather all evidence Hector already had on him. Bobby offered me some sleeping pills and I decided to take them before heading up to the penthouse to be alone. I didn't get to be alone because Hector followed me to the elevator.

"Where are you going?" I asked him.

"The couch on seven is very comfortable." He shrugged.

"Hector. I don't need you to hold my hand." I whined.

"Just tonight, just to make sure you stay safe and just in case you need me." He offered.

"Thank you." I hugged him tightly.

I crashed out as soon as my head hit the pillow but soon woke up in a sweat with Hector sitting on the bed beside me. I looked around the room, feeling disoriented.

"What's wrong? What happened?" I asked.

"You were having a nightmare." He wiped my sweaty hair from my forehead.

"I'm sorry." I told him.

He chuckled. "What are you sorry about? You can't control what you dream about."

"I don't remember what I was dreaming about." I admitted.

"You were screaming for Morelli to leave you alone." Hector informed me.

He moved back against the pillow and pulled me into the crook of his arm. I don't remember anything else we may have said because I fell asleep again as soon as I closed my eyes. I woke up feeling groggy and anxious to see Ranger. I had considered going to the hospital to visit Angie but the lawyer said that was a bad idea. I tried to keep myself busy by doing searches at the computer and hanging out with the guys. After lunch I went to lay down on the couch in Ranger's office. As soon as I closed my eyes a memory floated into my thoughts.

 _I was wearing a long blue dress and looking into the eyes of one Officer Hawley. He had blond hair and blue eyes he looked much younger than when I had seen him yesterday as he slid the cuffs onto me. He stood two heads taller than me and had a lean swimmer's body. As a cop he had more muscle but he had added a slight gut._

" _That's it? Just a goodnight kiss?" He scoffed._

" _What did you think was going to happen?" I asked._

" _It is prom night." He shook his head. "And Morelli…well let's just say he made sure everyone knew how eager you are."_

" _What? That damn writing everywhere? It's ridiculous. I'm not that kind of girl." I glared at him._

" _So you're just a slut for Morelli?" He grabbed my shoulders._

" _I'm nobody's slut." I grabbed his shoulders and drove my knee into his balls._

 _There was a bright light and the scene changed to Morelli and I arguing in my apartment._

" _Does that mean no or yes?" Morelli asked._

" _It means NO! No, no, no, no, no." I yelled._

" _Don't get your panties in a bunch, I'm not exactly in the loop here." He glared._

" _You're too busy to be in the loop." I narrowed my eyes._

" _No one could stay in the loop with you. You're a disaster magnet. You suck it in. I used to think it was because of your job. But that's too simple an explanation. You can't go anywhere without attracting killers. Let's face it Cupcake, your life is pathetic." He rolled his eyes._

I opened my eyes and sat straight up. Lester came into the office as I was rubbing my eyes. He took one look at me and quickly came over and sat down next to me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into him. Once I calmed my breathing and got control of myself I pulled away and looked up at Lester. I took my time gathering my thoughts and pursed my lips before I spoke.

"Lester, why was I with Morelli for so long? Most of the memories I have of him are bad. He was never there when I needed him. When bad things happened he only yelled at me. He constantly put me down about my job and any problem I had doing it. It's like he chipped away at my self-confidence." I shook my head.

"I don't know Beautiful. I can only surmise that it was just something you did because you thought you had to." He shrugged.

"Had to?" I didn't understand.

"It's the whole Burg mentality. You're supposed to do what's expected of you, what your family thinks is right. I can't imagine the pressure. I think you dated him to shut everyone up and get your mother off your back." He suggested.

"Why would my own mom want me so miserable?" I held up my hand. "Wait, I know. She doesn't really care about me. She cares more about her reputation and what people think of her."

"I'm sorry Steph, but that's what it seems like to me. Maybe you will remember more, I am sure there were some good times." He shrugged.

"That's what's weird, the only positive memories I have of him are more like a friendship than a relationship. Like when we are eating pizza and watching games on TV. Or when we go walk Bob together. Or are just hanging out watching movies on a long Sunday afternoon." I shook my head.

"Maybe you should have stayed friends but the pressure was too much. Now what?" he asked.

"Lester, he held a gun to my head. I am never going to be friendly with him again. I don't even know what I would say to him, and now that he is lying about my husband." I took a breath. "No way can we ever be friends again. I don't even want to be in the same room with him."

Lester shook his head and smirked. "I will never get used to you two calling each other husband and wife."

"Les? Do you think we fit together? Rang…Carlos and I. Do you think we belong together?" I asked.

"Yes, and I don't even have to think about it. You have both loved each other from the start. It was like a soap opera watching the two of you trying to avoid commitment, trying to avoid each other." He chuckled.

"It took us a while." I smiled. "I just want to remember our wedding."

"Are you going to divorce him?" He asked seriously.

"No, that's not the plan. I want to try, I want to make it work, I may not remember everything but I know that I love him." I admitted.

"Music to my ears Beautiful, even though I still think you would have more fun with me." He cupped the side of my face. "I have never seen Ranger happier or calmer than he is with you. You are good for each other."

"You're right." I told him before he kissed my forehead.

Tank burst in the room. "Let's go, Ranger made bail."

"Thank goodness." I jumped to my feet.

When we got to the station I paced in front of the counter as Tank filled out the papers to secure the bond. Rangeman had been working on creating their own bond enforcement division so the company already had the licenses to take care of it without involving a separate bail bondsmen. The door opened and I looked to see my husband, but instead Morelli is the one who walked out the door.

"Cupcake." He held open his arms as he moved towards me.

"Don't you dare touch me. You stay the fuck away from me." I spoke through gritted teeth as I took a step back.

"Steph? What the hell is wrong with you?" He looked confused.

"You held a gun to my head and now you're lying about my husband." I glared.

"Husband?" His eyes narrowed as he pressed his lips together tightly.

"Don't play stupid with me. My name is Stephanie Manoso and you'd do best to remember that because it's not changing." I poked my index finger his way.

Just then the door opened behind him and out walked Ranger with Eddie right behind him. I moved around Morelli and threw myself into Ranger's arms. He hugged me into him and I felt his hot breath on my neck as he buried his head into me. I pulled back and clutched his face before I covered it with kisses.

"Morelli, stay where you are." Eddie ordered.

I turned to look behind me and found Morelli seething with anger. If he was a cartoon character he would be bright red with steam shooting out of his ears. Carlos spun to move me behind him and Eddie stepped in between the men.

"You should go." Eddie told Morelli.

"Fuck you traitor." Morelli told him.

My mouth fell open as I watched Morelli spin on his heel and stalk out of the station. I moved over to Eddie and patted his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." I told him.

"No, it's fine. He got released ROR" he explained.

"Released on his own reconnaissance." Ranger explained to me.

"He's lying about what happened." I told him.

"I know he is, let's just all hope the court figures it out too." Eddie turned to Ranger. "Can you wait until we're sure he's cleared the lot? I don't need the paperwork and you don't need the trouble."

Ranger nodded and gathered me closer to him as we watched Eddie go out the same door Morelli had exited from. I clutched Ranger tightly to me and buried my face in his chest. He rubbed my back and kissed my temple and the side of my head, any part of me he would reach.

"I love you." I whispered.

His entire body stilled and he grabbed my shoulders to yank me back away from him. He stared into my face with wide eyes.

"What did you say?" He asked.

"I love you." I repeated.

"Babe" He pulled me to him. "I love you too."

I closed my eyes and melted into him. This was the man for me and no one else would ever do. I was ready to move forward with him and make our own memories, but now we had to worry about this ridiculous court case. I needed this to be over, I wanted to see what normal life was like for us as a married couple in Trenton. I wanted to tell my mom she was no longer in my life because I was getting rid of toxic people. I wanted to look for a house, and although I didn't think I was ready for kids and may never be, I wanted a dog. We waited for Eddie to come back in and tell us when Morelli was gone. We held hands as we made our way out to the SUV to head back to Rangeman. Tank drove while Ranger and I sat in the back.

"Maybe I should get arrested more often." Ranger spoke softly to me.

"Hey! Don't even joke about that. I missed you last night." I slapped at his arm.

"That was some greeting." He kissed my temple.

"Too much in public?" I was nervous.

"Not at all. It was nice to hear you tell me how you feel." He smiled.

"What's going to happen?" I asked him.

"Carlson will come by the office today and give us an update. The case will probably go to trial." Ranger explained.

"A trial?" My eyes grew big.

"It's my word against his with two witnesses and who knows what Angie Morelli is going to say." He explained.

"But they didn't even find your prints on the gun." I shook my head.

"They don't need to. Morelli's saying we struggled and it went off. He said I attacked him and he was defending himself from threats made by me." Ranger explained.

"That's ridiculous. Morelli has lost his damn mind." I pulled back. "I can testify."

"Of course you can Babe, but they will say you are lying for me." He grabbed my hand.

"So, that's it? You're giving up?" I worried.

"No, not at all. I am just not looking forward to this mess, especially when we need to be focusing on Bane and whoever else may have plans for you." He rubbed his thumb over the top of my hand.

"I'm afraid." I whispered.

"Don't be Steph. The guys will protect you no matter what." He assured me.

"I'm not afraid of that, I don't want to lose you. Not now. Not now that I have you." I pouted.

"You're not going to lose me and you've always had me." He kissed my lips.

I closed my eyes and leaned into him. "It doesn't take away my fear."

"Are you okay? After everything that happened yesterday?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I lied.

"Babe" He pulled me into his arms.

Later that night in bed he was reassuring me. "Please don't worry Babe, you have enough to worry about already."

"Carlos I'm so sorry I agreed to lunch at his mother's house. I'm sorry I tried to make him feel better. If I had never got down on the floor with him…" I trailed off.

"It's going to be okay. I may not always understand all of this Burg stuff but you have to know you did nothing wrong." He reached over to pat my leg.

"Burg stuff?" I was confused.

"You were worried about disappointing him yesterday. You went against so many feelings you have about him and felt sorry for him. You were just trying to help, to placate him." Ranger told me.

"You're right. Even without my memories I have this fear of disappointing him, his mother, my mother, I even felt bad for Bella not liking me. I don't want to live like this. I don't want to be some pathetic rug that everyone walks all over." Tears fell down my face.

"You don't have to. You have always struggled against being controlled by your family and the residents of this five square mile neighborhood in the middle of a huge city." He explained.

"I'm sorry I let go of your hand. I'm sorry I allowed him to set the lunch at his mom's house. I should have known better." I shook my head.

"You didn't, but you do now. I should have spoken up more. I endangered you because I didn't want to order you around. I knew you only had some memories and they weren't good ones…." He began.

"Stop. Please stop. It's Joe's fault. He is the one who did this. For me and my mistakes? That's not your problem to fix; I'm not your problem to fix." I wiped at my eyes.

"You are not a problem. In a way losing your memory has allowed you to look at things from a whole different perspective. We both made a mistake over this situation and we both learned." He assured me.

"You're right. A lesson was definitely learned but above all of that I learned you are the only one I can count on. The one I can't live without." I squeezed his hand.

**************************************THANK YOU************************

Thank you so much to the reviewers and the followers. I will never be able to fully express how much just one word of encouragement makes me feel.

Thank you to Jenn for doing what you do!

Thank you psycho grammar nut Heather.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23-

Angie Morelli only spent three days in the hospital before the doctor pronounced her well enough to be released. I got updates from her hospital stay but decided to stay away. Even while in the hospital, with her daughter's help, she played the dutiful daughter-in-law planning Bella's funeral. Joe stood by her side as his grandmother's favorite grandchild while the Burg stood behind the Morelli family. I wanted to go pay my respects but Carlson thought it was a bad idea. I hadn't heard a word from my parents but I assume Grandma Mazur went to the funeral, I had been having visions of her a funeral home, eating cookies and lifting casket lids. I wanted to reach out to Angie, but again Carlson vetoed that idea as well. I felt absolutely helpless and dreaded what would happen with the charges against Carlos.

Now I found myself sitting in the hallway of the Trenton courthouse next to the Rangeman attorney Spencer Carlson. Ranger was inside the courtroom appearing before the Grand Jury and I felt as if both of our hands were tied. My mind was still reeling from all that had happened. I got up and paced nervously as Carlson jotted down some notes on a pad of paper. I stopped in front of him and waited for him to acknowledge me. When he didn't look up I placed both hands on my hips and let out a deep sigh. This got his attention so he pulled his head up to focus on me and I glared at him. My glare lasted all of five seconds before the tears swelled in my eyes.

"It's going to be okay." He assured me.

"Explain it to me again because I just don't feel like it's going to be okay. I don't know what I would do without Carlos. He was just protecting me, he saved my life. This is bullshit that we are even here, he shouldn't be in there." I pleaded as I sat back down on the bench beside him.

"The Prosecutor is in there trying to convince the twenty-three person jury to agree that there is enough evidence to bring charges of attempted Manslaughter against Mr. Manoso. It all boils down to Morelli's word against Ranger's word with little to no evidence." He repeated what he had told me earlier.

"Why can't we be in there? Or at least you?" I asked.

"That's not how it works. The witnesses need to feel they can speak freely." He explained.

"Witnesses? They didn't ask me to be a witness." I pouted.

"The only witnesses are Angie and Joe Morelli. This isn't a court case. There is no arguing just an introduction of evidence so the Grand Jury can decide whether the district attorney has enough evidence to go forward with a trial."

"How do we know this jury isn't full of Morelli's relatives from the Burg?" I lifted an eyebrow.

"I've studied the potential jurors and they all look fine. All of them are from Trenton proper, none from the Burg." He assured me.

"Who is this new hotshot Prosecutor you were starting to tell me about before?" I asked

"It's not just any prosecutor. The District Attorney and Assistant District Attorney are in there." He rubbed his chin.

"And the jurors? And the judge?" I asked.

"And the clerk." He added

"The District Attorney?" I asked again.

"Her name is Cindy Cox, she moved here a few months ago from Tennessee and was hired as the ADA. When the last DA, Derrick Baldwin, got hit with his second DWI charge she got thrown into the job." He shook his head.

"So now who's the assistant?" I asked.

"Carlos said you didn't need to know, it wasn't important." He shrugged.

"Ranger, Carlos, Mr. Manoso pick one." I glowered.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Manoso I am used to calling him whatever name the situation requires and with you he is all of them." Carlson explained.

"Oh, okay, sorry. I don't mean to jump down your throat. I'm just really stressed over this. You can call me Steph, so can you tell me now and get the suspense over with? Who is the assistant DA?" I asked.

"Dickie Orr." He stated.

"My ex-husband?" I asked.

"One and the same." He shuffled his papers into his briefcase.

"The 'A' team in there trying to lock up my husband are Cox and Dickie?" I laughed.

"Well, when you say it like that." He smiled.

Once I collected myself I continued with the questions. "Who's the judge?"

"Josee Barette." He stated.

"Is that good or bad?" I asked.

"It's good. In looking through her cases she seems fair and I've never had any issues with her." He nodded.

"And when will Morelli go to his Grand Jury?" I was still curious.

"He is scheduled for this afternoon." He explained.

"No one called me as a witness for that either. What about Carlos? Will he be a witness against Morelli when evidence against him is introduced?" I stomped a foot.

"Right now with Carlos in there they only want witnesses who will agree with the evidence they are presenting." He explained. "Carlos wrote up his statement, we don't feel the need for him to be in there."

"So I will never get to tell my side?" I was frustrated.

"You will if we have to go to court." He assured me.

"Who's Morelli's lawyer for his charges?" I asked.

Carlton rolled his eyes. "Enzo Martinelli."

"Should I know him?" I questioned.

"He's the attorney for the Grizzoli family." He shrugged.

"Terri Grizzoli?" My brows furrowed.

"You got it in one. You're on a roll today." He nodded.

"From what I understand Morelli has a history and a present with her." I informed him.

"Yes, Hector already got me pictures in case I need them." He patted my knee. "We are very well prepared."

"So Enzo is a good lawyer?" I inquired.

"He is charismatic, and sometimes that can really affect a jury." Carlson shrugged.

"I can't take this." I rubbed my forehead.

"Patience." He cautioned.

"I need to take a walk. Find a vending machine." I got to my feet.

"First floor you can find coffee." He gestured towards the elevator.

"Thanks. I'll be right back." I smiled as I headed towards it.

I got off the elevator on the first floor and followed the signs towards the café that offered coffee. I rounded a corner and nearly bumped right into Angie Morelli. She stepped away from me and gasped at how close we had been. I felt my shoulders drop as I exhaled out a deep sigh. I had wanted to be angry with her but the look of sadness in her eyes drained me of all anger almost instantaneously. We stared at each other in silence for the longest time before she spoke.

"I'm sorry." She whispered as her shoulders slumped.

"You're sorry? Then prove it." I ordered.

"Just how would you like me to do that?" Her tone changed to one filled with aggravation.

"Just go in there and tell the truth." I ordered.

"I will do what's right for my family." She pulled herself upright as I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes from the sudden headache.

 _I was in an SUV in a mall parking lot. Morelli hustled around to the passenger seat._

 _"Must have gotten a head start on the way over. Wait until he hits the road before you use your lights."_

 _"That's a great idea, but I can't see without my lights." I explained._

 _"You're in a parking lot. What's to see besides three acres of unobstructed macadam?"_

 _I crept forward a little._

 _"You're losing him," Morelli said. "Step on it."_

 _I pushed it up to 20, squinting into the darkness, swearing at Morelli that I couldn't see jackshit. He made chicken sounds, and I mashed the gas pedal to the floor. There was a loud wump, and the Wrangler bucked out of control. I slammed my foot to the brake and the car came to a sudden stop with the left side tilted at a 30-degree angle. Morelli got out to take a look._

 _"You're hung up on a safety island," he said. "Back up and you should be okay."_

 _I eased off the island and rolled several feet. The car pulled hard to the left. Morelli did the take-a-look thing again while I thrashed around in the driver's seat, sputtering and fuming and berating myself for listening to Morelli._

 _"Tough break," Morelli said, leaning into the open window. "You bent your rim when you hit the curb. You got road service?"_

 _"You did this on purpose. You didn't want me to catch your rotten cousin."_

 _"Hey, cupcake, don't blame me just because you made some bad driving decisions."_

 _"You're scum, Morelli. Scum."_

 _There was a flash of light and then I was in the Bonds Office sitting on the couch looking at Connie._

 _"Maybe you need to talk to Uncle Sunny's neighbors," Connie said to me. "And his relatives. Isn't he related to Morelli?"_

 _"He's Joe's Godfather," I told her. "And his uncle. He's Grandma Bella's nephew."_

 _I was sitting in Ranger's Porsche with him parked on a street that looked like any other in the Burg. I looked around and realized where we were just as I saw a Lincoln turn down the street. The black Lincoln rolled past us and parked in front of the Morelli house. Moe got out of the front passenger seat and carried a duffel bag into the house. He left a little later without the bag, got into the Lincoln, and the car disappeared down the street._

 _"He's in there." I said to Ranger. "What on earth is wrong with Joe's mom that she'd allow Sunny to hide out in her house?"_

 _"He's family." Ranger said._

 _"That's no excuse." I shook my head._

 _"It is in the Sunucchi-Morelli family culture." Ranger shrugged._

 _"How am I supposed to get him out of there? I can't just break down the door. We're talking about Joe's mom and crazy Grandma Bella." I shook my head._

My eyes opened and I immediately met the mournful eyes of Angie Morelli. I tried to figure out what to say to her. I needed her to tell the truth, I needed her to tell the judge that Joe was the one who shot her, that he pulled the gun and held it to my head and the only struggle was Ranger stopping Joe from shooting me. She bit her lower lip and looked at me with a sadness that radiated from her entire body. She was uncomfortable to be in my presence and from the look in her eyes she was anxious to escape.

"Everything else? How are you feeling?" I asked her.

"Better." She quickly nodded.

"I'm sorry I didn't make it to Grandma Bella's funeral." I told her.

"I understand. It wouldn't have been appropriate." She gave a nod.

"So I assume you are here to appear before the Grand Jury?" I asked.

She nodded but didn't say anything. She moved to the side to pass me but I cut her off. She studied my face as I watched the fear and remorse drift over her face. She looked as if she wanted to say something, she opened her mouth slightly and closed it a couple of times. When I realized she wasn't going to speak I decided to make my appeal.

"Don't do this." I begged.

"Do what?" Her face went blank and she straightened up.

"Don't lie for Joe. You know what happened. Do the right thing. Tell the truth." I ordered.

"I always do what's best for my family." She clutched her purse in front of her body.

"Your family will be embarrassed if this all goes to trial. I will tell everyone what happened. Everything Angie, not just that day." I warned.

"Are you threatening me?" She narrowed her eyes.

"No, not at all. I am just telling you the truth. If I am called to the witness stand I will tell the whole truth about my relationship with Joe." I informed her.

She released a big sigh and shook her head. "Why?"

"Why? You can't be serious. Joe held a gun at my head. He was going to kill me so no one could have me. The only reason I am standing here is because of Ranger's fast actions. You're lucky to be standing here at all. You got shot because he pulled his gun out and threatened me." I grabbed her hand. "You can't keep making excuses for his behavior."

"He is a passionate man." She reminded me.

"Is passionate a synonym for violent? For abusive? You expect me to marry him and tolerate the abuse, the drinking, the beatings like you did for all of those years?" I asked her.

"It's the Italian way, it's the Burg way." She was stiff as she spoke.

"Not all Italians hit and cheat on their wives and girlfriends. My father is Italian and he never did any of those things." I shook my head.

"Your father was a wet rag. My Joseph is ten times the man your father is." She insulted.

"Ten times the womanizer. Ten times the abuser." I snidely remarked.

"Get out of my way Stephanie." She pulled away from me.

"I only ask that you tell the truth, please." I implored her.

"I've been protecting my family my entire life. We live the truth that we know. I would never betray my family. Family is always number one above everything, you never really learned that. Just look at the way you treat your own mother." She stepped to the side.

"Are you kidding me? I finally found the strength to escape this bullshit Burg mentality. All women aren't supposed to be home barefoot and pregnant while the men drink and abuse them." I argued.

"It's not abuse Stephanie, it's the fiery passion of a strong Italian man. A love that lasts a lifetime and can never be denied." She glared at me.

"Quit using that bullshit. Italian has nothing to do with the Morelli men and the way they treat their women. When you love someone you don't hit or hurt them, true love means being respectful and faithful to your partner. Passion is expressed through loving touches not hands of violence. Is cheating a form of passion too?" I questioned.

"It's how it is and how it's always been." She shook her head.

"If you don't tell the truth I will, if this goes to court I will tell everyone the whole truth. I will get up on that stand and tell them everything your son did to me." I threatened.

"What?" She spat.

"Then everyone will soon find out exactly who Joe is. We'll just see if everyone understands his passion." I said passion like it was a disgusting word.

She moved around me and quickly made her way to the elevator.

"You need to do the right thing." I called at her back.

She whirled on me and moved back towards me. She moved swiftly for someone recently injured and stopped just inches from me.

"I tried to help you. You had a great man and a promising future and you threw it all away. You were once someone I considered part of my family, but you have made it clear you are no longer interested in my son. Now you are on your own, you've made your choices and I will make mine. I hope your husband rots in hell." The word husband was spoken with such vehemence I gasped and my body jerked back as if she had slapped me.

"Angie." I called when she turned away from me.

"Leave me the hell alone." She called over her shoulder right before she reached the elevator.

I stood there shaking my head. I had hoped she would do the right thing but now it was obvious she would do anything to protect her son. I pondered that for a moment. Would I do anything to protect my family or was the truth more important even if it meant mine would suffer? I let out a deep breath and headed for the cafe. My conversation with her had given me a headache and I needed the caffeine that coffee would provide.

When I made it back to the hallway Carlson was still sitting calmly on the bench. He had put away his notebook and was now typing away on his phone. He looked up when he heard me and used his head to gesture to the seat beside him. I sat down and focused on my coffee.

When I was done with my coffee I got tired of sitting and I jumped to my feet. I went back to pacing and constantly checking my watch. I needed to see my husband. I had to see he was okay, to hold him in my arms and feel his hard strong body. I wanted to share my strength with him for once. I froze when I heard the doors open and whipped my head to look. A woman came out followed by my ex-husband. The man I had seen in a memory who was screwing the big haired redhead on a dining room table. He smiled when he saw me.

"Steph." He nodded as he passed.

"Dick" I nodded back.

He stopped. "It's Dickie. Don't you remember me Plum?"

"It's Manoso and no my only memory of you is of you and some redhead polishing my dining room table with your ass." I smiled.

"Maybe you'll remember the good times down the road." He shrugged.

"Are there good times to remember?" I gave him my best blank face.

"Let's go." A blonde woman grabbed Dickie's elbow.

She carried a briefcase and wore a blue suit with a skirt that hit just above her knees. I figured she must be the District Attorney Cindy Cox. I glanced at her and then looked away; I didn't want to give her any attention. I felt the chill from her as she passed and I didn't care. I was watching the doors for Carlos. We waited for what seemed like forever when I heard the door open. Angie Morelli came out into the hallway next followed by Joe and stopped to look at me. She had a smug look plastered to her face and I chose to look away and not engage her at all. I could finally see that there would be no getting through to her.

"Cupcake" Joe said as he came to stand in front of me.

I took a step back. "I'm not your cupcake."

"Oh Steph don't be like that. When the charges against me are dropped we can be together again." He said.

"I'm married Joe. That's not going to change. Besides you've been seen again with Terri. Obviously, you've moved on." I scolded.

"I can't really be with Terri, just like you can't really be with Manoso. At least not long-term, consider i sowing oats, getting it all out of our system. Face it Cupcake, we're meant to be together."

"Joe we will never be together. I am married and I am staying that way!" I exclaimed.

He took another step towards me and grabbed both my arms shaking me as he spoke. "You've been mine since you were six, in my father's garage. I had you then and I'll have you again. We are destined to be together. Why can't you see that?" I tried to break free but he was holding me too tightly and I wondered why Carlson wasn't helping when I noticed he was videotaping us with his phone.

"Yes Joe you assaulted me sexually the first time when I was six. You practically raped me when I was sixteen. Now as adults you have hit me and hurt me, knocking me down so hard I passed out and you think I am going to come back to that abuse?"

"Is that what Manoso told you?" He asked.

"No. I remembered all on my own." I narrowed my eyes and squirmed again.

"I would never really hurt you. I love you and you love me, you just don't remember everything right now, but when you remember you will come back to me." He declared.

"Joe let go of me." I tried to break out of his grasp again but it only got tighter. "Joe, you abused me then and you're abusing me right now." I said.

"Cupcake come to my house right now and we can talk about things. I don't have to be back in court for a few hours. We need to talk some place more private." He said pulling me to him like he was going to hug or worse yet kiss me and I started struggling in earnest.

"It's over Joe, we're over and there will never be another us again." I insisted.

"You don't mean that Cupcake. You just need to give me a chance; with all of the history between us I deserve at least that." He continued.

"No Joe, LET GO OF ME!" I hollered. At that second Carlos appeared behind him and said in a low menacing voice.

"Morelli, take your hands off of my wife." Joe dropped his hands and whirled around. I brush passed Joe and moved quickly towards Carlos and fell into his arms. I squeezed him around the middle and pressed my face into his chest. I felt his body relax under my touch and I smiled to myself. I felt proud I was able to give him a part of me that relaxed him even if it was only for a little while.

"You make me sick." Angie mumbled under her breath. She and Joe stalked down the hallway and disappeared behind the elevator doors.

I ignored her and pulled away slightly to place a chaste kiss on my man's soft lips. He leaned in and gave me a deep kiss before he hugged me to him again. I was dying to ask him how things went and exactly what happened but I knew it wasn't the time or place. Carlson cleared his throat and we both pulled apart to look at him.

"I'll meet you two back at Rangeman?" He asked.

"Conference room two." Ranger told him as he nodded.

He took my hand and we followed Carlson down the hall and into the elevator. We traveled in silence to the lobby and out into the parking garage. Ranger held my door open for me and I slid into the leather seat. I loved the feel of the soft seats in his Porsche, the way the car hummed and drove was calming and yet exciting at the same time. I apparently have always had a thing for his fast cars, because lots of memories of sitting in his different Porsches flashed through my mind in a slideshow and I smiled. As soon as he pulled out of the lot I couldn't control my curiosity any longer.

"What happened in there?" I asked.

"Just the DA discussing Morelli's statement and what evidence they have." He shrugged.

"What evidence?" I asked.

"Pictures of bruises on Morelli's arm and neck." He spoke calmly.

"His arm?" I furrowed my brows.

"I hit his arm to knock the gun away." He explained.

"Did you get a chance to speak?" I asked.

"Carlson told me not to." He answered. "Besides this wasn't about me telling my side of the story. It was their chance to give the jury the evidence they have against me. For them to decide if there was reasonable evidence to bring it to trial."

"Carlos, I can't let you go to jail. I'd never be able to live with myself if you went to jail because of my stupidity."

"Babe I'm not going to jail. The court case is a little hiccup, but it's all going to come down to which version of events they believe. The Morelli story is that he was protecting you from me and you and I will testify the truth and they will see through the lies."

"What about Angie?" I asked.

He shook his head. "She gave her account of what happened."

"What did she say?" I inquired.

"Morelli pointed the gun at me." He responded.

"What?" I was confused.

"She said he never had the gun on you. She said I was jealous because Morelli proposed to you and you were going to say yes so I started threatening you then Morelli pulled his gun to defend you." He explained.

"Damn it." I swore. "I knew she was going to protect him but I had no idea she would make up such a lie."

"Yeah, she said I turned him around to face her. Her story is she moved closer to break up the fighting when I made the gun go off." He finished.

"I tried." I shook my head.

"Tried what Babe?" He asked.

"I tried to get her to tell the truth. What is wrong with those people? I know it's her son but really how bad could telling the truth be? He shot her on accident." I sighed.

"But he pulled his gun on you and held it to your head. Then he threatened you and I grabbed him to stop him from hurting you. If she told the jury that, there would be a full scale police investigation where Morelli could loose his shield. He used his service revolver. She would never incriminate her son like that." He outlined.

"But her story doesn't make sense. We're married. I love you. He hit me and hurt me I was never going back to him." I laid out.

"The jury today doesn't know that but if there is a trial they will. That's why I'm not worried. Their lies won't stand up to the truth." He explained.

"But Joe's a cop and she's a respectable housewife. What if they believe her over me?" I was beginning to panic.

"Wait till we talk to Carlson and see what he says. He will know exactly how to handle this." He reached over and grabbed my hand.

I rode the rest of the way in silence with my fingers laced in his. My mind was whirling with all of the possibilities. If something bad was going to happen to Ranger I wanted him to run. I wanted him to go far away and never spend a night in jail. I wanted to go with him; I needed to be with him. How was I going to handle a court case and the rumors and everything that would come along with it?

We pulled into the Rangeman garage and Ranger was already pulling the door open for me. Lester was just pulling in himself and met us by the elevator. He looked us up and down like he was considering whether he should talk, maybe wondering what had happened but unwilling to ask. We all entered the elevator together and I quickly noticed Lester glancing my way. When our eyes caught he smiled.

"How'd your date go with Olivia?" I asked Lester.

"Turns out her dog was more attracted to me than she was. No chemistry." Lester shrugged.

"I can't imagine that." I acted surprised.

"I know right? Who wouldn't want this?" He gestured over his whole body.

"Poor Lester." I pouted.

"No, I met a chick named Natalie last night at a club in Newark and I'm seeing her again tonight. We have a lot of chemistry." he waggled his eyebrows.

"You are such a player." I shook my head.

"You never know when I might find the one." he winked as the elevator doors opened.

We went our separate ways. With Lester staying on the elevator to go to Tank's office and Ranger leading me to conference room two. Carlson was already seated at the large table and there was coffee and water set out near his place. He had already helped himself to a cup of coffee. He was sliding around a stack of papers but paused when he heard us come in. He looked up and a small smile came across his face. Ranger pulled out a chair for me and then joined me as we sat across from the lawyer.

"I have read over everything and I'm not concerned at all. Angie's not going to press charges against Joe, and her testimony today won't stand up if we go to court." He informed us.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Logistics. Because she is lying about direction and placement, the logistics of the gunshot doesn't match her story. Once she has been proven to be lying about that, a jury won't believe anything else coming from her." He had his head focused on the papers in front of him. "She is basically discrediting herself."

"And Morelli?" I asked.

"My thoughts? The case against Ranger will get dismissed. Angie won't file charges against Morelli. Depending on the clout he has the DA might pursue charges against him or let it all drop. Then he faces internal punishment from the PD. But we haven't discussed you Stephanie. Do you want to press charges against him? You have been so caught up in what's going on with Ranger that you haven't really made any decisions. And after today we now have video evidence to prove how violent he can be with you." He looked up at me.

"If this can all go away for Carlos then no, I don't want to do anything but keep him out of our lives. If we need it as leverage or Carlos has to go to court then I want to go after him with everything we can." I felt my eyes narrow as the anger flickered inside of me.

"Remind me never to piss you off." Carlson smirked.

"That's something everyone learns right away with Steph." Ranger smiled.

"We still have to wait to hear back from the Grand Jury to see if they decide if there is enough evidence to go to trial. I am preparing for trial as well as gathering information for a meeting we will have with Morelli's lawyer." Carlson shuffled his papers.

"What for?" I asked.

"So we can let him know that you are willing to press charges, and show him the video I shot today." Carlson looked up and winked at me.

**************************THANK YOU***************************

Your reviews are like my own personal drug. LOL

Thank you to Olivia, Jennie, Cindy, Josee and Ruth for the name suggestions used.  
Hope Natalie enjoys her Lester time.

Jenn you keep me straight and give me just the right inspiration I need.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24-

"We're going to trial." Carlson announced as he came into the conference room.

"What the hell?" I exclaimed. "How can this happen?"

"Relax Steph. It's just the Grand Jury saying they think there's enough evidence to try this in court." He set his briefcase on the table.

"But…" I interrupted.

"Wait Steph, let's listen to Spencer." Ranger rested his hand on my forearm.

"I'm sorry." I sat back.

"It's fine." He shuffled his papers. "I can understand how frustrating this must be for the both of you."

"What are you thinking?" Ranger asked the lawyer.

"Remember the grand jury's only job was to decide if they believed there was enough evidence for charges to be brought. They never heard any arguments and they heard a crying Angie Morelli." Carson reminded me.

"So now what?" I asked

"Okay, let me tell you both what I'm thinking." He paused "We have plenty of our own evidence. We have the video from my phone, if they rule that out there was a camera in the hallway. We will get that introduced into the record. Forensics disproves Angie's story, and the best thing is our independent team had the same results as Trenton PD so it's near impossible to disprove two duplicate reports from different sources. They can get their own forensics expert but with our report matching the official TPD report whoever they get won't be believable." He settled into the chair.

"That sounds good. Do we have to prove Morelli caused all of this?" I asked.

"Not prove it, just provide enough evidence to prove reasonable doubt." Carlson explained. "Angie won't get to play the teary mother card this time because I will have the chance to ask her my own questions."

"What's the biggest concern?" Ranger asked him.

"You." Carlson looked up into Ranger's eyes.

Ranger raised an eyebrow but I was the one who spoke. "Me? What?"

"Their only hope on making you look bad is making you lose your temper in the courtroom." He stared directly at Ranger.

"I thought I wasn't going to testify." Ranger was curious.

"Even if you don't testify they will put people on the stand that will talk negatively or tell lies about your wife. Their main goal will be to show the jury you are quick to lose your temper." He explained. "Especially when it comes to Stephanie."

"What about Morelli? Is he being tried?" I asked.

"No." Carlson answered.

"Shit." I jumped to my feet. "This isn't fair. How the hell can they believe there is enough evidence against Ranger but not Joe?"

"Babe." He said calmly.

"Trenton PD was pissed about Morelli seeking outside council. He is on unpaid leave for the whole incident. That will also factor into how we present things. Remember I do not have to prove what Morelli did, I just need to create doubt. I am working on my list of witnesses we want to call." Carlson informed us.

"I want to get up on that stand." I warned him.

"I know Stephanie, and I will keep you in mind, but let's wait and see how things go." He gave me a closed mouth smile.

"Who do you have on your list?" Ranger asked him.

"Eddie Gazarra, the PD's forensic expert, a clerk that was in the hallway and witnessed Morelli attacking your wife." He was reading from his list. "Morelli."

"Angie or Joe?" I asked.

"Joe for sure and Angie if needed." He answered.

"Why?" I was confused.

"He will lose control easier. It won't be pretty, I know exactly how to break him." Carlson gave an evil smile I hadn't seen from him before.

"I don't want you in the court room that day." Ranger cautioned.

"I am going to be right behind you every day." I argued.

"We need her in there to push Morelli, at least the day I get him up on the stand." Carlson explained.

"Babe, they will be saying a lot of negative crap and lies about both of us." Ranger took my hand.

"You have to stay calm no matter what." Carlson followed up.

"I can do it." I nodded.

"Oh, and another thing." He shuffled some more papers around. "Did you decide if you want to press charges against Morelli? Gazarra called me this morning and asked if you wanted a report filed to go with the pictures he has."

"Pictures? I didn't even realize…" I trailed off.

"He took some at the scene. It was a little crazy for a while there Babe." Ranger squeezed my hand.

I looked at Carlson and then at Ranger. He moved his arm and covered my hand with both of his. "Yes. Yes, I want to press charges."

"I'll call Gazarra." He pulled out his phone.

"Proud of you Babe." Ranger lifted our hands to his lips and kissed the back of my hand.

We spent the rest of the day answering questions from both Gazarra and his partner Big Dog. Pictures were taken of the bruises on my upper arms from Morelli's tight grip at the courthouse. After I had posed for the pictures and answered all of the questions Tank came into the room with a man in a suit.

"Hello Chief Giordano." Ranger moved towards the man and held out his hand.

"Nice to see you Ranger." The Chief said as they shook hands.

"Spencer Carlson, I am the Manosos' attorney." He introduced himself to the Chief with a handshake.

"Excuse me for interrupting. I wanted to ask a couple of questions on my own and check out all of the documentation. It's important every 'i' is dotted and every 't' crossed. Morelli has already called his union rep." Giordano explained.

"What do you want to ask me?" I was curious.

"What do you exactly remember about what happened at the Morelli house?" He asked.

"Remember?" Carlson asked him.

"Well, we know she had a head injury and is having memory issues." The Chief explained.

"I'm not having any memory issues with anything that has happened since being back from Hawaii." I glared at him.

"But you don't remember things about your past?" He pushed.

"Is this an interrogation?" Carlson asked him.

"No, but the DA will ask these same questions." The Chief shrugged.

"I remember everything that happened in that house. I remember the feel of metal from the gun Morelli pressed into my forehead when he told me if he couldn't have me no one would." My voice was thick with anger.

"I'm sorry about that. Is it possible this was a form of foreplay for you and Morelli?" The Chief shuffled his feet.

"Foreplay?" I nearly shouted.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Ranger asked him.

"We're done here." Spencer told him.

The Chief held up both hands, palms out. "I'm just asking."

"Are these things the DA is planning to ask?" Carlson asked him as his expression changed.

"It's a high probability." The Chief confessed with a shrug.

It suddenly dawned on all of us; the Chief was giving us information. He was letting us know what the DA was planning, what questions they were going to ask me. Obviously they would bring up my past memory issues as a way to discredit my current memories; I hadn't really considered that enough. I had a lot to think about to prepare myself for the courtroom. Carlson pulled the Chief aside and they spoke in hushed tones while Gazarra finished writing up his report.

"Anything you want to add Steph?" He looked up at me.

"No, I think you have it all." I wrapped my arms around myself and squeezed.

"We have the tape from the courtroom hallway, I logged it into evidence." Gazarra announced.

"Good." I told him.

I felt Ranger wrap his arms around my waist from behind and I exhaled as I leaned back into him. This court case was going to get dirty and I wasn't looking forward to how it would all play out, but I would do anything to get the truth out and save my husband from jail. I didn't want to be without him, I still couldn't imagine a life for me where I put Morelli above him. I turned around in his arms and wrapped mine around his waist. I buried my head into his chest and he pulled me tighter to him.

"I'm going to take Steph upstairs; it's been a long day, unless you still need us for something." Ranger spoke to the men in the room.

"No, I'm good." Gazarra announced.

"Thank you for your time." The Chief told us.

"Get some rest." Carlson ordered.

Ranger turned me and held me at his side as he led me out of the room. I moved along with him to the elevator and kept quiet as we went to the penthouse. As soon as we made it through the door I went straight to the bedroom and crashed out on the bed. I laid back and covered my face with a pillow. Everything was silent for a while and then I felt the bed dip and soon the pillow was pulled away from my face. Ranger was propped up on his elbow beside me looking down at my face as if he was trying to read my mind.

"What are you thinking?" He asked.

"I don't want to fail you." I admitted.

"Babe" The corner of his mouth lifted in a slight smile.

"They're going to bring up my memory loss. I can't explain that, they'll say my memories of Joe aren't real." I pouted.

"It will all be fine. We have truth on our side, and witnesses and video." He rubbed the side of my face with the back of his hand.

"But the evidence was enough for the Grand Jury to bring charges against you." I worried.

"Yes, but they never saw what we have. They never heard the other side of the story. They only heard lies from Joe and his mother. Everything will work out." He continued to stroke my face.

"How can you be so positive? I feel like I am losing my mind and this is entirely my fault. I just want to be with you and make new memories. I want to help you; I want to give you everything I have." I was feeling more emotional than I had realized.

"We'll be okay Babe. Just you being here with me and choosing to stay married to me, well I couldn't ask for anything more." He leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on my lips.

"I love you." I spoke as my lips brushed his.

"I love you too Babe." He said before he kissed me again.

His hand went to the side of my face before his fingers dug into my hair. I felt his thumb brush against my cheek as my lips parted to him. Our tongues met and gently moved together slowly. This was a slow, gentle, deep kiss filled with a million different emotions. I had never felt so loved and cherished at the same time I was afraid to lose him, afraid to lose how he made me feel. I pushed against him and moved us until he was lying on his back. I pulled away and smiled at his beautiful face.

********************************SMUT***********************

I reached for the bottom of his black shirt and he leaned up to help me as I pulled it up over his head and tossed it onto the floor. I placed both of my hands on his taut abs and dug my fingers into his skin as I massaged his stomach and chest. I leaned over him and kissed his forehead and then each closed eye. He reached for me but I pushed his hands back so they lay on either side of his head.

I kissed his neck and then proceeded to cover every inch of his chest and stomach with gentle kisses. I unbuttoned his jeans and he leaned up to help me wiggle them down his hips. I moved off of the bed and pulled off his boots and socks before pulling his jeans off the rest of the way. He leaned up onto his elbows and I took the opportunity to enjoy his bright smile. The smile that sent tingles throughout my body, gradually moving heat throughout me.

I slowly pulled off my shoes, socks and jeans before I very deliberately and delicately pulled down my panties. His eyes followed my hands down my legs as I pushed them off. I pulled up and gave my hips a little wiggle before I reached for the bottom of my shirt and pulled it over my head. His lidded eyes were dilated black as he watched me leisurely unfasten my bra. His eyes were glued to my every move as I tossed the bra over to the pile of our mixed clothes. I moved toward the bed and got onto my knees and he moved to sit up but I shook my head no.

I grabbed his feet and gently rubbed and massaged them before suddenly spreading them apart. I heard him gasp at the unexpected move. My hands went to his calves and I massaged my way up to his thighs were I resumed my kissing.

"Babe."

"I'm getting there." I teased.

"Babe"

I looked up and he had one hand outstretched to me. I tilted my head as I tried to read his expression. Finally I gave up on the current mission and grabbed his hand. He pulled me up into his arms and rolled us both to our sides. He resumed our slow passionate kiss from before as I felt his hands caress my back. My hands were in his hair massaging his head when I felt his hands move down to my cheeks as he caressed and gently squeezed me. He rolled me onto my back and moved in between my legs as I opened up to him.

He placed kisses on my breasts and sucked on my nipples before unhurriedly sliding into me. He pulled his head away from my breasts and our eyes locked on each other. He moved painfully slow in and out of my hot wet core. The hot building inferno continued to burn inside of me as his lips descended on my neck. I nuzzled into him and twisted my own head to kiss and nip the side of his neck. The pleasure was building and I pulled away as my head twisted towards his forearm, I kissed and nibbled at his arm between moans. His thick member stroked in and out of my wetness.

I screamed out his name when I felt the lava inside me bubbling to the surface. When the eruption overtook me, I thrusted my hips up into him as a moan escaped his lips. He pressed into me deeply and held his pelvis pressed against me there before pulling back to repeat the move. My hands flew to his back, my nails dug in to his hot flesh and I shattered again. He was so deep it was almost painful. When he finally stopped moving and the throbbing inside of me slowed I threw my head back and heaved out a deep breath.

****************************************END SMUT************************

The next day we met in the conference room again to discuss the case.

"I didn't get the official charges till they were filed last night." Carlson said. "Let's start by going over the charges. Since given the green light from the grand jury they are bringing every kind of charge against Mr. Manoso that they can bring. Let's start with the smallest charge and work our way up." Carlson started.

"Charges as in multiple charges?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes they are throwing everything they can think of at him to see what will stick and try to get the most jail time as possible." Carlson explained.

Ranger took my hand again, kissed my palm and smiled at me.

"It's going to be okay Babe. Trust Spencer he knows what he is doing. We're listening. Go through all the charges and we'll try to be quiet." Ranger encouraged.

"First is reckless discharge of a fire arm of the fourth degree. Since at no time did Mr. Manoso get his hand on the gun itself this charge will have to be dropped. Technically this is the least of what Mr. Morelli is guilty of." Carlson expounded.

I took a deep breath. This didn't sound too bad so far.

"Second is attempted manslaughter, this is the charge that went before the Grand Jury. Basically, they have to prove that you knew your actions directly or indirectly could have cause the death of someone and you proceeded anyway. According to your story you grabbed Morelli and he had a gun in his hand and you used moves to disable him and protect Stephanie. You are a professional solider that knows his way around guns, so if their version of events is true you would be guilty. But your version of events shows that someone was in danger and you were trying to protect them. All we have to do is show reasonable doubt that you didn't try to grab his gun to hurt anyone but rather to protect someone." Carlson detailed.

"But how do you do that? If they say he did it and we say he didn't do it and they are an outstanding housewife and a respectable Detective that has been on the police force for years while Ranger has a bad reputation on the street and he has been rumored to kill people and I have no memory. Why would anyone believe us?" I worried.

"That's why we are trying to keep you off the witness stand and use facts. The forensics show that Mrs. Morelli was shot from below. The bullet traveled up from below her heart. This proves that Morelli was lower than she was. With the forensics we can pinpoint the path the bullet traveled and his and her story say that everyone is standing. That proves right there that they are lying. Your story is the only one supported by the forensic evidence." Carlson soothed.

"So when they show that to the jury they will know they are lying." I said gleefully.

"Oh they aren't going to bring that in as evidence." Carlson cautioned.

"They aren't?" I felt defeated.

"No that will be my job. It disproves their story so they don't want it in the courtroom. If they bring in a forensic specialist it will be to disprove the official police forensics. But we have two forensic specialists proving us right so I believe we'll win that one in the jury's eyes, though it's sometimes hard to get the jury to believe scientific information over emotions.. And speaking of things that don't go in a courtroom. Mr. Manoso I was rereading the police arrest paperwork just to be thorough and It says here you had two guns and a knife on you at the time of your arrest." Carlson probed.

"Yes I am always armed." Ranger said.

"I was unaware that you had weapons on you at the time of the altercation. This really blows their case out of the water. Why would you go for Morelli's gun if you had two guns on your person?" Carlson questioned.

"Maybe they are going to say that I didn't want Morelli to be armed?" Ranger suggested.

"I don't care what story they try to come up with. The fact that you had two guns and a knife on you when you were arrested that day and you didn't need his, leans heavily to our side to show that you grabbed his gun to protect Stephanie not to assault anyone." Carlson explained.

Ranger squeezed my hand in an attempt to say this would all be okay.

"Third is felony assault of a police officer." Carson read.

I gasped. I never thought about him attacking Morelli as being illegal.

"They were probably planning on bringing this charge anyway, so it didn't need to go before the grand jury. Again if you were attacking Morelli and trying to get his gun then you are guilty and this is a felony it carries a minimum ten year sentence. Morelli claims that you were trying to attack him and then go for his gun to hurt Stephanie. In your arrest report you admit to attacking him to protect Stephanie the key here is intent." Carlson explained.

"So he could go to jail for trying to protect me?" Tears started welling up in my eyes and I was going to cry. This was all my fault. I couldn't live without Ranger, I just couldn't.

"Once again the ballistics report proves Mrs. Morelli's version is a lie so it blows their believability out of the water. And again you had your own guns so you didn't need to take his. Also you are trained in martial arts and combat fighting. You can hurt, break bones and even kill with your bare hands. We are going to show that you meditate and are much calmer and controlled than Morelli and would never do anything rash. Then we are going to use their pictures against them. The bruises to Morelli support your claim that you were using basic moves to corral someone that was out of control without really hurting them, not moves you would use if you were trying to attack someone." Carlson articulated.

"But if Morelli bruised when Ranger grabbed him won't it prove Morelli is right?" I asked.

"No We get specific with each mark and how they were made. The mark on his arm is from you hitting his arm down so he couldn't shoot Stephanie. That is not an attacking move it is a defensive move. If you had grabbed his arm or tried to get his gun he would have handprints not a bruise where is the radial nerve lies. Secondly the marks on his neck," He laid out the pictures so we could see. "go upward. The only way to have made these marks is if you were standing above him and he was below you. You are both men of the same height. There is no way you could have gotten your arm around his neck and made those marks unless he was kneeling below you." Carlson explained.

"Babe it proves my version of events is true." Ranger said and patted the top of my hand.

"Finally the last charge is attempt to take a police officer's gun – again this is a felony and the hardest charge to defend against because in the arrest report Mr. Manoso said that he was trying to get Mr. Morelli's gun away from him. This is another ten-year sentence – but why would Ranger need Morelli's gun if he had two of his own? Yet again intent is the key. We can prove that their testimonies are all lies. That Morelli was on his knees, That Angie was standing over you and saw everything, that all the marks on him were from defensive moves not offensive moves. This leaves plenty of doubt and all we need is reasonable doubt. Once we discredit them and their testimonies the case swings our way." Carlson enlightened.

"But twenty years. Ranger could go to jail for twenty years?" I was going to get hysterical.

"No that's not going to happen. Basically we prove with evidence that at least part of their stories is a lie and their whole case falls apart. And we don't have the burden of proof we just have to throw enough doubt on their story so it is not believable." Carlson calmed me down.

The days flew by as Carlson spent hours going over every part of my history with Joe, especially the week before and the week after Hawaii and preparing us for all of the possible questions that may come our way from the DA. It looked like we would probably be called to testify but Carlson was doing everything he could to avoid it. The DA's list of witnesses now included not just Joe and Angie Morelli but also a Doctor at the hospital and a forensic specialist. We couldn't figure out what the doctor from the hospital would say on the stand but according to my records he had seen me many times. Carlson, Ranger and I had all gone through my medical records and found nothing that could work against Carlos, it seemed all of my injuries had been caused by various skips.

This morning I would sit through the testimony from Joe Morelli. After his testimony Carlson said they would finish with the doctor, forensic expert and Angie before they rested their case. My nerves were wrecked but Ranger seemed calm and collected. I honestly didn't know how that man seemed to remain in complete control. He held my hand as we walked into the courtroom together. Morelli was seated with his mother directly behind the District Attorney Cindy Cox and my ex-husband Dickie. What kind of name was Dickie anyway and why the hell did I marry him? He was wrong about me having any good memories of times with him, I had none. Joe and Angie turned to look at me and I couldn't understand the expression. Neither one of them glared or smiled it was more like a blank look with no feeling at all.

Ranger pulled me into a hug and I kissed him on the cheek before he joined Carlson at the table. I took my place on the bench behind him. Hector was already sitting there to keep me company. He took my hand as soon as I sat down and I relaxed a little under his touch. I heard a familiar voice and turned to see who it was entering the courtroom when I noticed my mother and sister. I felt a smile forming on my face; at least they had come to support me when I needed them. I got to my feet and turned to face them, my mother moved a bit faster towards me as she lifted and opened her arms. I took a step towards her and she blew right by me. I was confused and surprised at the same time. My sister passed me by, shooting a glare my way. I turned to see what happened and saw my mother locked in an embrace with Joe Morelli.

"Oh Joseph." She pulled back to study him.

"It's going to be okay." He told her.

She moved on to Angie and the two women hugged. I rolled my eyes in disgust, what the hell was this? The Twilight Zone? I felt Hector grab my hand and pull me back to my seat as he moved in close. I leaned into him and felt a tear in the corner of my eye. I shouldn't be upset. This woman who gave birth to me was not a mother and she obviously didn't give a crap about me. And my sister? It was quite obvious where her loyalty lay. This was a complete disaster. I slowly shook my head as Hector took my elbow and led me back down beside him.

"I am your family Angelita. Forever. No matter who you are married to or where you live I am your brother for life." He whispered in my ear.

I sniffled a bit and laid my head on his shoulder. "I love you."

"It's all going to be okay." Hector reassured me

"Please rise." The bailiff announced.

I stood up and sat down and all of that stuff as the court went through the procedures. I listened to the opening statements and bit my tongue when Ms. Cox called my husband a thug with anger issues who was obsessed with me. I rolled my eyes when she said Joe Morelli was an honorable cop and a model citizen. When she said his actions quite possibly saved my life I bit down on my tongue to avoid shouting out "HA!" and announcing it was all bullshit.

I took several slow and deep breaths as Detective Joseph Morelli was called to the stand. He was wearing khaki pants and a blue polo. He turned to glance at me with a look of sorrow as he made his way to the stand. He agreed to tell the truth and was soon seated and going through the basics of stating his name and what he did for a living. Finally the real questions began.

"Can you describe your relationship with Ms. Stephanie Plum?" Mrs. Cox asked.

"I object your honor." Carlson stood up.

"Object to what?" Cox turned to look at him.

"If you are referring to Mr. Manoso's wife her name is Stephanie Manoso not Plum." Carlson told her.

I couldn't see his face but I could hear the smirk in his words. Cox raised one side of her mouth in a snarl and gave him a look of disgust. The judge agreed with Carlson and informed Mrs. Cox she was directed to refer to me as Stephanie Manoso. Every time the name was spoken Joe moved around uncomfortably in his chair. This seemed like it was going to be easier than we thought to make him lose his temper.

Cox cleared her throat. "Detective Morelli can you please describe your relationship with your fiancée?"

"Objection." Carlson stood up.

"What now?" Cox whined while the judge waited.

"There is no proof they were ever engaged besides the Detective's word. There was no ring and Mrs. Manoso has no memory of an engagement." Carlson explained.

"She doesn't remember a lot of things." Cox mumbled.

Once again the judge agreed with Carlson and Cox moved on, finally addressing me by my full married name.

"My relationship with Stephanie?" Morelli repeated the question. "We've been in love with each other our entire lives."

"Can you elaborate on that?" She asked him.

He sat back in the seat and got a faraway look on his face. "She was always 'the one' for me. Of course we both went through a period of testing the waters to see what was out there. She had a brief marriage and then fate brought us together again. We have been together for the past three years."

"And are you still together?" She asked him.

"We would be if she had her memory back." He shook his head.

"How did she lose her memory?" The pretty lawyer asked as she moved closer to him.

"She was in Hawaii on vacation when Ranger tricked her into getting married and then an attempt was made on her life." His eyes narrowed at Ranger.

"Who's Ranger?" She turned to glance our way.

"Carlos Manoso is his legal name. Ranger is his street name, he spends a lot of time on the streets." Morelli smirked.

"Do you know what his job is?" Cox asked Joe.

"He is a mercenary who masquerades as a bond enforcement agent. He is known for being a loose cannon." Morelli stated.

"Objection." Carlson stood. "The defendant is not now nor has he ever been a mercenary."

"I am asking what Detective Morelli knows of Mr. Manoso's employment" She said without any tone in her voice.

"Rephrase the question." The judge ordered.

"Detective Morelli, to the best of your knowledge what do you think Mr. Manoso does for a living?" She questioned.

"As far as I understand, from what I've seen, he is a street thug who sells out his services to the highest bidder. There is nothing he won't do for the right price." Morelli noted.

"How did he become acquainted with Stephanie?" Cox asked.

"Objection. We would like Mrs. Manoso referred to as her title or full name." Carlson stood.

The judge agreed and informed the District Attorney to refer to me as Mrs. Manoso or Stephanie Manoso.

"He offered to train her as a bond enforcement agent, then he used his position as her mentor to harass her over and over again." Morelli went on. "He set her up so that incidents would require his assistance and she would have to call on him. He made her dependent on him. He came up with excuses to provide her a safe house just to get her into his apartment and more likely into his bed."

"But she was with you?" Cox inquired.

"Yes, she was with me. We had our ups and downs like a typical couple, but Ranger used any opportunity to try to split us up. We had several run ins over the years, me being on one side of the law with him on the other. I think he was interested in Stephanie just to get back at me." Morelli sighed. "He used her."

"And when she returned from Hawaii?" Cox asked.

"She didn't have most of her memories. Somehow he convinced her to stay in his building upon her return. Probably made up something about someone being after her as he usually did." Morelli shrugged.

"What happened on the day your mother was shot?" Cox asked.

Morelli scrubbed his forehead and closed his eyes. "He insisted on coming along with Stephanie."

"He?" Cox asked.

"Manoso. He brought her to my mother's house where he was invited to stay. I had big plans to propose to Stephanie. I wanted to give her the ring and make the proposal memorable. One she could brag about to her friends and be proud to tell our children about someday." Morelli explained.

"Then what happened?" she pushed.

"She said yes and Ranger exploded." Morelli shook his head.

"How? How did Mr. Manoso explode?" She sounded excited.

"He jumped up and overturned his chair. He was threatening to kill me and we argued. He wasn't making any sense, and I was sure he had lost his mind. When he lost control and lunged for Stephanie, I had no choice but to draw my gun." Morelli glanced at the jury.

"You were defending her in your own home?" Cox asked.

"Yes." Morelli nodded. "That's right. He didn't give me any choice. Stephanie and my mom were both screaming at Ranger, begging him to leave and demanding that he stop trying to put his hands on Cupcake."

"Cupcake?" Cox asked.

Morelli shrugged. "My pet name for Steph, I've called her that since she was sixteen years old."

"What happened during all of this yelling?" She asked him.

"Ranger did what any desperate man would do when being forced to realize that he had lost to a better man. He went for my gun, but I'm a cop. He couldn't get it away from me." Morelli said smugly.

"So how did your mother get shot?" Cox asked.

"I said he didn't take the gun from me and that's true but he did wrestle with me. He jerked the gun every which way. He could have hit himself, me, Stephanie basically anyone and anything in that house." Morelli glanced again at the jury. "He was crazy. The look in his eyes reminded me of a drug addict."

"Objection." Carlson stood.

"It's Detective Morelli's opinion." Cox reminded the court.

"Overruled." The judge agreed with the District Attorney.

"What happened when Mr. Manoso got that look in his eyes?" She was curious.

"He turned the gun towards my mother and I was able to overpower him and reposition the gun but not before it went off." Morelli laid his head in his hands.

Cox paused dramatically as the whole courtroom sat in silence.

"I'm sure that was very difficult." She spoke softly.

"You have no idea." Joe sniffled. "Faced with losing one or both of the most important women in my life? It was unbearable." Morelli continued to shake his head.

"But you did lose someone." Cox reminded him.

"Yes, my Grandmother Bella Morelli." Joe hung his head and sniffled.

"She was shot?" She asked him.

A full minute passed before he picked up his head to answer. "No. I believe the sound of the gunshot startled her and induced the heart attack that took her life."

"The gun that went off during the struggle?" She asked.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Do you think you would have lost her if the gun had not gone off?" Cox paced over to stand near the jury.

"No, she would still be alive. She was under a great deal of stress due to Stephanie's amnesia. My grandmother wanted me married and knew that Steph was the only one for me. When Manoso felt the need to play bodyguard that day it upset my grandmother a great deal." Morelli sighed.

"So Mr. Manoso is really guilty of murder along with all these other charges." She smirked.

"Objection. If Mr. Manoso was guilty of any other charges they would have been brought. I ask that be stricken from the record." Carlson insisted.

"Sustained." The judge stated as Mrs. Cox gave Carlson a look of disdain.

How is your family coping now?" She asked.

"They are all overcome with grief at losing our beloved grandmother and concern for Stephanie and me. She is being brainwashed and it's been extremely difficult to handle." Morelli informed her.

"The People bring forth the pictures that have already been recorded by the court." She handed the pictures to Morelli. "What are these pictures?" She asked Morelli.

"They are the bruises that formed on my arm and around my neck from when that crazy man grabbed me." Morelli stated.

"Crazy man?" Cox questioned.

"Mr. Manoso. Let me tell you with my Italian complexion I don't bruise easily. So he had to be using some serious force to leave those marks." Morelli clarified.

Mrs. Cox passed the pictures around to the jury.

"What do you think about Mr. Manoso now?" She was wrapping up.

"He is exactly the person I knew he was and I hope everyone else can finally see his true colors. He is a heartless mercenary who could lose his temper and explode at any minute. He is a danger to everyone around him and no one will be safe with him on the streets." Morelli glared at Ranger.

"Thank you for your candor." She gently nodded her head before she announced she was done questioning him.

Cox smiled at Carlson before she made her way to her seat. Carlson shuffled around some papers and then got to his feet. The judge granted him permission to cross examine Morelli and Carlson went back to glancing through his notebook. Morelli was growing impatient and began tapping his foot in turn jiggling his knee. He gave out a loud sigh and narrowed his eyes at Carlson. Finally our lawyer looked up and crossed the room to stand in front of Morelli.

"Good Morning Detective." Carlson smiled.

"Good Morning." Morelli rolled his eyes.

"When was the last time you saw Mr. and Mrs. Manoso before they came to meet you for lunch?" He asked.

"I saw them an hour before at the bonds office." Morelli said satisfied.

"Yes, you saw them that day, but before that day when was the last time you saw Mr. and Mrs. Manoso?" He questioned.

"I don't know, a week or so." Morelli guessed.

"A week?" The lawyer asked.

"I guess." Morelli shrugged.

"That's a long time to go without seeing a woman you claimed to be your fiancée. Where was she?" Carlson asked.

"She was staying with her friend Hector in Manoso's building, I already said that." Morelli was frustrated.

"Why didn't she stay with you?" He asked.

"I don't know, I can only assume that Manoso lied to her while she was forced to stay and recover in Hawaii." Morelli glared. "Just like he tricked her into marrying him."

"Were you angry with Carlos or Stephanie Manoso?" Spencer glanced down at his papers.

"I was frustrated that Ranger had a week alone to turn Steph against me." Morelli admitted.

"Did Mr. Manoso accomplish that?" He asked.

"He tried. He prayed upon her weak mind." Morelli glanced at Ranger.

"You believe Mrs. Manoso has a weak mind?" He asked.

Morelli rolled his eyes every time he heard Carlson call me Mrs. Manoso. "Because of her accident she's not thinking straight, if she were she wouldn't still be married to him."

"Did you try to help her see clearly?" The lawyer asked him.

"I tried." Morelli frowned.

"How?" Carlson pushed.

Morelli shrugged. "By talking to her and trying to get her to see who he really was. I'd been trying that whole week to get her alone but he goes everywhere with her." Morelli sighed.

"Just talking?" He asked.

"Yeah." Morelli looked confused.

"Your honor I would like to introduce exhibit A. This is a video logged into the court that was recorded on a cell phone." Carlson told the judge.

"I object. There is no guarantee that video was not tampered with." Cox argued.

"Okay, then let's look at the official courthouse camera." Carlson suggested as Cox took her seat. "We would like to play exhibit B, the video previously logged in with the court."

The bailiff wheeled in a TV and displayed it before the jury. The video of the altercation between Morelli and me in the hallway was played. Some of the jurors cringed and I could hear Morelli's angry voice, yelling at me. Carlson then introduced the pictures of the bruises on my arms. Cox argued that Morelli was not on trial but Carlson argued that it showed Morelli's relationship and history with me, his fiancée that is so in love with him I supposedly said yes to his proposal. In the end the jurors were allowed to view the pictures as well.

"Can you explain what the jury just looked at?" Carlson asked Morelli.

"Yes I can. First of all I need to apologize to Stephanie. I wasn't aware of what happened until I saw the video." Morelli looked over at me.

"How could you have not been aware?" Carlson scoffed.

"I have been taking an anxiety medication since Stephanie was in the accident in Hawaii. My doctor has slowly been lowering my medication dosage because of the side effects." Morelli explained.

"Side effects?" Carlson nearly rolled his eyes.

"Unusual emotional dysfunction, including anger and violence." Morelli did his best to look innocent.

"How convenient." Carlson shook his head. "How long have you been on this medication?"

"Since I returned home from Hawaii a couple of weeks ago." Morelli admitted.

"Are you still on this drug?" Carlson asked.

"A very small dose." Morelli answered. "As I said my doctor has been lowering the medication in the hopes that I can get off of it completely. Unfortunately recent events have made it very difficult for me to move forward without medication."

"Do you feel angry or violent today?" Carlson asked him.

"No. A lot of the side effects have eased up in the last couple of days; the doctor says I'm lucky." Morelli smiled.

"I'm very happy to hear that Detective Morelli." Carlson returned his smile.

"Thank you." Morelli kept his smile in place.

"You stated that you and Mr. Manoso are on opposite sides of the law. How often is he arrested and what are the usual charges?" Carlson asked.

Morelli sat quiet for a long time before he finally answered.

"He was arrested for murder and for carrying concealed." Morelli said smugly.

"Actually he was never arrested for murder. He was a person of interest in a murder case and then he actually caught the real culprit. What about the carrying concealed charge? Was he found guilty?" Carlson questioned.

"No" Morelli sounded down about this.

"No and in fact the charges were dropped." Carlson expounded. "So how exactly do you mean it when you say he is on the opposite side of the law?"

"Well it is rumored that he breaks the law and has even killed people." Morelli insisted.

"What rumors are those. Any that carry any weight or can be exposed in a court of law." Carlson solicited.

"No" Morelli's shoulder's slumped.

"The facts are that Mr. Manoso is a Bond Enforcement Agent and brings criminals back into the court system. He runs a multi-state security company that protects people from criminals. He had a sterling military career where he was in special forces and was honorably discharged. He still does occasional special jobs for the government that are all highly classified. So really when you infer that he is a criminal you mean that he is a criminally good and upstanding citizen?" Carlson quizzed.

"I guess." But his body language said hell no.

I knew that part of the strategy was for Carlson to bring as much evidence into his cross examinations as he could, to sway the jury early on and lower the chance of him having to call us and me specifically to testify. He had arraigned a specialist to test my memory and testify that all my recent memories were intact. No matter what the reality was my impaired memory was a big strike against having me testify.

"You stated that Mr. Manoso is a danger to everyone around him." Carlson stated.

"Yes that's right. He will go off at any time, for any reason, on anyone." Morelli smirked.

"Are you aware that he has held a conceal carry permit for the state of New Jersey for several years," Carlson asked.

"Yeah we all know he used to carry illegally. I told you about his old charge for carrying concealed before he got his permit." Morelli explained.

"So to the best of your knowledge Mr. Manoso is known to usually be armed." Carlson clarified.

"Yes he always has some weapon somewhere. Dangerous unstable people like him should never be allowed to get a permit to carry concealed. He probably lied to get it." Morelli said.

"So I was looking over the arrest reports and found something interesting. It seemed when he was brought to the station he was carrying two guns and a knife." Carlson informed him.

"I'm not surprised." Morelli said indignantly.

"What I want to know is if he had his own guns and was as aggressive and unstable as you claim why didn't he go for one of his own guns and why would he bother wrestling you for a gun when he had two of his own?" Carlson asked.

"He did it!" Joe shrieked. "He did it!" Pointing to Ranger. "He attacked me. He grabbed me. He wanted my gun! He shot my mother! That's who did it! I told you he did it and he did! It's all his fault!" Joe insisted shrieking across the courtroom.

"Very slowly so all the courtroom can hear you. Minute by minute what exactly did he do." Carlson said.

"He got mad she said yes. He jumped up and attacked me. He grabbed me to get me away from her. Then he tried to attack her. I pulled my gun to protect her from him. He went for my gun. We struggled and the gun went off." Morelli insisted.

"How was everyone situated in the dining room?" Carlson queried.

"Ranger was on the right side of the table. I sat at the head of the table and Stephanie was on the left side of the table next to me and my mother was next to her." Morelli explained.

"And they willingly sat like that?" Carlson raised the question.

"No Cupcake was sitting on the right side with Manoso, but I took her hand and guided her over to the left side of the table to get her away from him." Morelli clarified.

"As already requested, Stephanie should be referred to as Mrs. Manoso or Stephanie Manoso during this court proceedings." Carlson corrected. "Do you understand?"

Joe nodded his head and finally responded "Yes"

"Have you ever hit Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson asked.

"What?" Morelli balked.

"Have you ever physically put your hands on Stephanie Manoso to cause her pain or bruises?" Carlson spoke slowly.

"Of course not. I love her and she knows that." Morelli glanced at me.

"How do you show your love?" Carlson asked him.

"What do you mean? What does this have to do with Manoso attacking me and shooting my mother?" Morelli grew aggravated.

"I object." Cox stood.

"You opened the door on their relationship first." Carlson reminded her.

The judge agreed and Carlson repeated his question.

"Eat dinner together, watch games, go to family events, keep her sexually satisfied." Morelli smirked.

"And yet she married Mr. Manoso? Perhaps there was something missing?" Carlson asked.

Morelli's face turned red and his eyes narrowed. "She got everything she needed from me."

"Apparently not everything." Carlson smirked.

"I never had to trick her into being with me. I didn't need to make up scenarios so I could run to her rescue. I never had to wait for her to lose her memory." Morelli practically shouted.

"Now that you mention it, there are several reports of you yelling and screaming at Mrs. Manoso during several incidents where she has been in danger. For instance if a car she was driving blew up when you arrived at the scene you were often witnessed yelling at her and losing your temper." Carlson noted.

"What would you have me do? Would you have me remain calm when her life is on the line? The love of my life nearly died and I'm supposed just hug her and hope it never happens again?" Morelli asked.

"Isn't that what Mr. Manoso did? He comforted her, took care of her." Carlson tilted his head.

"That's very easy for him to do when he's not in love with her and only wants her for sex." Joe rolled his eyes.

"But he married her." Carlson added.

"He tricked her." Morelli corrected.

"Did Stephanie and Carlos get married before or after she lost her memory?" Carlson asked.

"I don't actually know that they really are married. There is no proof, as far as I know that is something Ranger told her after she lost her memory." Joe stated defensively.

I would like to introduce this to the court records." Carlson got a piece of paper and handed it to the judge. Then he handed it to Joe.

"What is this piece of paper?" Carlson asked Joe.

"It is a Hawaiian marriage certificate." Joe said quietly.

"And according to it did Mr. and Mrs. Manoso get married before or after she lost her memory?" Carlson pushed.

After some hesitation Morelli muttered. "Before." As he slumped into his seat.

The paper was passed around to the jury.

"You don't seem to like Mr. Manoso much what is the history between you two?" Carlson queried.

"He's an animal. Always sniffing after what's mine. I mean he's always following her, always showing up where he isn't wanted. Always calling her. He tracks her cars and her cell phone always keeping tabs on where she is. It's like he is her own personal stalker." Joe said angrily.

"Is there a reason he does that? Track her I mean?" Carlson questioned, curious now.

"Well she is always getting into trouble. Stalkers, killers, cars getting blown up and he is always showing up to save her." Morelli expounded.

"That must be terrible always having your woman saved." Carlson said as he questioned it at the same time.

"Don't get me wrong I'm glad he saves her. But the tracking and constantly showing up at the bonds office and kissing her. He takes her to the alley and kisses her even when he knows we are together." Morelli accounted.

"He drags her forcibly to the alley and kisses her?" Carlson sounded concerned.

"No, not physically anyway. He has a way of confusing her, controlling her mind. . She goes willingly and I think they were sometimes sleeping together." Morelli said angrily.

"She was sleeping with him while she was with you?" Carlson clarified.

"Not while we were together but when we would break up." Morelli rationalized.

"Mr. Morelli, there is a lot going on here that the jurors have not been privy to, such as exactly how and why Mrs. Manoso lost her memory, why Mr. Manoso, that thug, was playing bodyguard that day, and why you are the only reliable witness to this whole event. If you have the time can you help explain some things to the jurors and help highlight how close you and Mrs. Manoso really are that you would be proposing to her and she would be accepting?" Carlson seemed sympathetic.

*************************THANK YOU********************

Thank you all so much for your patience. I am sorry life got in the way and my muse was more interested in my new dating life than Steph and Ranger.

Extra big thank you for the words Jenn was able to add and for inspiring me and pushing me forward.


	25. Chapter 25

C hapter 25-

"Like what?" Morelli was curious.

"Help us to understand your relationship with Stephanie Manoso and how close you are. You say you have known her your whole life." Carlson queried.

"Yes we both grew up in the same neighborhood. The Burg. I am two years older than her but I saw her around and at school growing up. We went to the same church." Morelli explained.

"You were her first lover in High School. Did you date for a long time?" Carlson questioned.

Morelli smiled at the memory. "No we never actually dated." Morelli clarified.

"But you slept together. Can you tell me about it? Did that relationship last for a while?" Carlson casted doubt.

Morelli smiled bigger. "She worked at the Tasty Pastry Bakery and I went in one day at closing time and talked her out of her pants. It was the way I was in my youth, I was reckless. I outgrew that when I got out of the Navy and became a cop. I respected Stephanie and was willing to settle down with her. " Morelli looked pleased.

"Is that why you call her cupcake, because you did her in the bakery and she reminds you of a cupcake?" Carlson asked.

"No. It's just always been my name for her. It fits her." Morelli looked happy like he was reliving the incident and I wanted to hit him over the head.

"Is it true you wrote about your little encounter all over town before you left for the Navy?" Carlson inquired.

"It was a stupid move; again I was young and didn't know better." Morelli rationalized.

"So then you started dating." Carlson tried to make clear.

"No two days later I was in the Navy." Morelli declared.

"That's sweet. A long-distance relationship. So did you write to each other and send pictures?" Carlson enquired.

"No I didn't tell her I was leaving, I just left." Morelli stated.

"Okay, so you went in the Navy when did you see her again?" Carlson questioned.

"Two years later when I was on leave." Morelli said.

"And then you started dating?" Carlson probed.

"No she saw me on the sidewalk and ran me over with her father's Buick, broke my leg in two places." He was still smiling. "It was Stephanie at her best, very impulsive."

"So when you got out of the Navy you came back and dated?" Carlson asked.

"Unfortunately I hadn't straightened out enough for a serious relationship and I knew Stephanie was a good girl. I didn't know what I wanted to do when I got out of the Navy so I moved back home with my mother. Worked at different jobs and dated lots of different women." Morelli stated secure in his manhood.

"Your reputation was that you were a drinker and a brawler. Getting into bar fights and sleeping around a lot. I mean you are a handsome guy. What woman wouldn't want to sleep with you?" Carlson justified.

"My crazy youth, I did a lot of stupid things." Morelli shrugged.

"Objection" Mrs. Cox said as she stood. "What does this have to do with the case?"

"Sustained. Mr. Carlson what is the point of this line of questioning." The judge responded.

"On the day in question Mr. Morelli asked Mrs. Manoso to marry him and he claims she said yes. I'm trying to show how close they are and the history of their relationship." Mr. Carlson explained.

"You may continue but keep the questions relevant." The judge said.

Mr. Carlson turned back to Morelli and smiled. "So when did you see Mrs. Manoso again?"

"Well several years ago I was falsely accused of murder. I found the proof to show I was not guilty, but I had to go FTA to get the evidence." Morelli answered.

"What is FTA?" Carlson examined.

"FTA is Failure to Appear. It's when you don't show up to court for your trial and then a bounty hunter tracks you down and brings you back to the police station where you are rebonded and have to have a new court date set." Morelli explained.

"So you went FTA. How was that related to Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson asked.

"She was the bond enforcement agent that came after me." Morelli spoke.

"So she caught you and brought you back in?" Carlson questioned.

"Yes and No. I am very good at my job and there was no way she would ever catch me on her own, she was new to bounty hunting. So we struck a deal. She would help me get the proof I was innocent and I would let her bring me in and collect the bond." Morelli expounded.

"How did that work out?" Carlson examined.

"Well she did help me…" Morelli began. "Once I got all of the proof I needed to show my innocence I let her take me in."

"You let her?" Carlson asked.

"Yes." Joe nodded.

"Isn't it true she locked you in the back of a refrigerator truck with two dead bodies and the murder weapon that proved your innocence?" Carlson asked him.

Morelli glared at the lawyer before he answered. "Yes."

"Wow that seems harsh." Carlson exclaimed.

"Well, she was still mad at me for handcuffing her to her shower rod," Joe smiled really big. "Naked."

"You handcuffed her to her shower rod naked?" Carlson repeated astonished.

What an asshole to tell everybody! I had left that little tid bit out of my personal Joe and Stephanie history lesson with Carlson. Members of the jury shot me a look of shock and viewed Morelli with confusion. I glared at Morelli and he winked at me. I just shook my head and Hector squeezed my hand. I hadn't expected to go through all of this history. As Carlson questioned and Morelli answered pictures flew through my mind showing me the events.

"Well she took my truck and was driving it and took the distributor cap off so when I came to get it, it wouldn't start." Morelli justified.

"I'll bet that pissed you off." Carlson defended.

"Yeah, we weren't exactly on the best terms then. Manoso was giving her advice and apparently telling her to steal my vehicle was his way of showing her the ropes." Morelli shook his head.

"So she trapped you in the back of this truck and turned you in. What happened next?" Carlson inquired.

"Well I had her apartment wired and the next day Jimmy Alpha came. Turned out he knew who killed my informant and that the guy I shot was armed and spilled it all on tape. The police got the evidence and that recording and the charges against me were dropped." Morelli explained.

"So she helped get you off." Carlson said.

"By attracting dangerous people? Yes, that's always been a talent of hers." The corners of his mouth lifted with a slight smile.

"So then you started dating." Carlson asked.

Why did I ever date him? He is obviously a full of himself, self-centered asshole. What could I have been thinking? In all of my memories of him not once did I ever feel truly loved or totally comfortable. I never felt completely relaxed, there was always some little bit of me staying alert.

"Well it took a while and a few false starts but then we started dating." Morelli stated.

"And you have been dating straight through for the past three years." Carlson assumed.

"Well dating on and off." Morelli clarified.

"On and off? What do you mean by that?" Carlson probed.

"Well we get together and date for a few months and then we break it off for a few months. Then we get back together and date for a few months and then we break it off for a few months. We really love each other, but we find it hard to live together." Morelli illuminated.

"Wow how come you two break up so much?" Carlson quizzed.

"Most of our issues revolve around her job. I get it" Morelli held up both hands palms out. "She was married and divorced and her ex left her with nothing. I know she wants to work because she is afraid of having nothing again. Every time we get close to walking down the aisle she runs but never too far for too long. In the meantime her job and the woman I love being in constant danger has me popping antacids while Manoso is thrilled at more chances to get into her pants. He wants her living his dangerous life and I want her at home."

"Barefoot and pregnant?" Carlson asked.

"Yes." Morelli answered quickly and then cringed realizing he had spoken without thinking.

"And that is what she wants; to get married, stay home and have a bunch of kids?" Carlson examined.

"She says she wants to work and she doesn't want to have kids." Morelli answered honestly. "But as I said it's out of fear that I would cheat on her and leave her like her first husband."

"Ok so when did you two lovebirds get engaged?" Carlson queried smiling wide.

"Well the first time we got engaged, my mother had come over early in the morning and asked me if I was going to marry this woman and I told her yes." Morelli justified.

"So you asked Mrs. Manoso to marry you and got her a nice ring?" Carlson replied.

"No I never asked her to marry me and at that time I didn't have the money for a ring. We just started living together." Morelli defended.

"So she moved in and gave up her apartment?" Carlson solicited.

"No she would never give up her apartment as I said she lives in fear of being destitute." Morelli chuckled. "She would never give up her job either. I felt sorry for her because she is no good at being a bounty hunter. I think Manoso solved a lot of her cases and just pulled her around to give her a false sense of confidence. He's hurt her by convincing her she could do that job. Instead she's gotten shot and had stalkers, rolled in garbage and God knows what else." He shook his head.

"So you never actually asked her to marry you and you've never lived together long term, when did you get engaged? In Hawaii you told people you were her fiancée." Carlson questioned.

"Well we've discussed marriage many times and basically knew we were eventually going to get married. We both knew it was inevitable, we were engaged to be engaged. Committed to a future with each other." Morelli described.

"So you've never officially been engaged." Carlson clarified. "Why did you go to Hawaii?"

"Well when she was buying her tickets she asked me to go to Hawaii with her. A guy that was stalking her got her a bunch of American Airlines certificates and she wanted to go on vacation." Morelli stated.

"So you went to Hawaii with her?" Carlson asked.

"Not exactly." Morelli said.

"Well what happened next?" Carlson queried.

"She wanted me to go but I couldn't get away from work. So she said she was going by herself and we had a big fight." Morelli rationalized.

"Mrs. Manoso will have a chance to tell her side later, but in her words you called her a 'lying, cheating slut' and a 'whore' for going without you, said she would sleep around. She broke up with you and you hit her in the face, knocking her down, resulting in a split swollen lip." Carlson interrogated.

"Objection your honor, speculative. We have not heard from Mrs. Manoso." Mrs. Cox interrupted.

Damn I really needed to testify now; I knew this would leave me no choice. I would do it, without question I would do anything to expose Morelli and save my husband.

"Sustained, counselor get your questioning on track." The judge ruled.

"Mr. Morelli when did she leave for Hawaii?" Carlson continued.

"Two days after our argument she left." Morelli answered.

"We would like to log this picture as evidence with the court." Carlson spoke, as the picture was passed to the judge and then handed back to Carlson who handed it to Joe.

"Have you seen this picture?" Carlson asked Morelli.

Morelli shook his head.

"Can you identify who is in that picture?" Carlson asked again.

"That's Stephanie." Morelli stated.

The picture was taken and passed around to the jury.

"Yes, you are right it is Mrs. Manoso. That picture was taken her first day in Hawaii, two days after your fight, it shows her lip swollen with a cut on it and black and blue around the edges indicating a recent injury. Can you tell the court how she got that injury?" Carlson bid.

"Probably some skip; she is always being injured and her clothes getting ruined on the job. It's just another day for her when these things happen. You can ask anyone in the Burg; her constant injuries are very well known." Morelli excused.

"At the time the picture was taken she refused to identify who hit her but she has since identified you as the person who hit her and she has mentioned that she doesn't think it was the first time." Carlson pinned him down.

"Objection your honor, hearsay. Again we have not heard from Mrs. Manoso and her memory is impaired, nothing she allegedly says can be believed." Mrs. Cox said defending.

"Retracted." Mr. Carlson said.

"So, Mr. Morelli you went to Hawaii to see Stephanie Manoso. Can you explain why you went to Hawaii and what happened when you got there?" Carson grilled.

"I went to go see my fiancée; I wanted to spend time with her and make up for the fact that I had to work. She still had a couple of days left of her vacation and I thought I would surprise her." Morelli detailed.

"And what happened when you got there?" Carlson questioned.

"She was with Manoso and they were staying at a couple's only retreat. I badged my way past the reception desk and made them tell me where they were. When I got to their bungalow she answered the door wearing his boxers and t-shirt, when Manoso walked into the room he was clad only in a towel." Morelli spat through gritted teeth.

"I bet that shocked you. What did you do?" Carlson sounded sorry for him.

"I did what any red blooded Italian male would do. I punched him in the face. We went at it until Stephanie, fearing that I would seriously hurt Manoso, stunned us both." Morelli explained.

"So your lunch meeting was not the first time you and Mr. Manoso got into an altercation. You stated you hit him first, correct?" Carlson reminded him.

"I'm Italian. I am a passionate man. How would you feel if the love of your life had this piece of garbage sniffing around her and messing with her mind at every turn just to get in her pants? It wasn't just that I loved Stephanie, I wanted to protect her." Morelli justified.

"Protect her from what?" Carlson looked confused.

"From the pain she would go through when Manoso got sick of her and kicked her to the curb. The pain she would suffer when the entire Burg turned on her for being Manoso's slut." Morelli growled.

He had his head down when he spoke and shook his head. He looked up as he finished the last word. I watched his line of vision and realized his eyes were locked on Cox. She was glaring at him and then lifted both hands, turned them over and made pressing motions aimed towards the floor. She was trying to rein him in, trying to get him to stay calm.

"Do you think Mrs. Manoso is a slut?" Carlson asked.

Morelli hesitated. "She doesn't mean to be."

"So you think she is?" Carlson pushed.

"Objection." Cox jumped to her feet. "Badgering,"

"Overruled, continue Mr. Carlson, just watch your wording." The judge warned.

"How did the fight end?" Carlson asked.

"Well Stephanie left and we got a call from the police that Stephanie had been in an accident." Morelli revealed.

"What happened?" Carlson prodded.

"Well according to the police the brakes in her car went out. When she tried to stop the car it wouldn't and she went off the road into a ditch." Morelli described.

"I would like to admit these photos into court evidence." Mr. Carson said and passed a bunch of photos to the judge. The judge looked through them and then handed them to Morelli.

"These were taken at the scene." Carlson explained.

He waited for Morelli to look through them and then brought them over to the jury. He waited as each member glanced through them before passing them along to another. Some had expressions of shock as one woman gasped. One woman looked as if she was going to be sick and an older man shook his head and then glanced up at me. When they were done Carlson took them back and slowly walked back to the table and set them down.

"Not pretty." Carlson looked at Morelli.

"Yes it was a mess. The car was on its side in a ditch and they had to pry the car open and get her out because she was unconscious. Fortunately, she was wearing her seat belt and wasn't seriously injured." Morelli continued.

"You say she was not seriously injured but she had hit her head, had a serious concussion and had a complication. Can you tell us what that was?" Carlson queried.

"She lost her memory. She had complete memory loss of her entire life. She didn't even remember her own name." Morelli disclosed.

"She couldn't remember anything about her life? You helped her though? You told her you were her fiancée and insisted on staying at the hospital with her." Carlson sounded hopeful and even pleasant.

"It was my last night in Hawaii, she wouldn't come home with me and I was going to spend it with her." Morelli rationalized.

"She didn't come back with you?" Carlson acted surprised.

"No the doctor recommended she stay in Hawaii for five more days to let the swelling in her brain go down." Morelli said morosely.

"But you tried to insist she leave and come home with you even though it could cause serious complications and possibly a fatal brain aneurysm." Carlson demanded.

"I had to come home and I didn't want to leave her with him." He pointed at Ranger. "The doctor only recommended she stay longer, he had no proof that it could cause her any complications. It was merely his suggestion. As soon as the doctor suggested she should stay longer Manoso jumped on the opportunity. He went to the corner of the room because he knew what he was doing was wrong. He extended their reservation. He wanted her in that same bungalow alone with him."

"That's horrible for him to take care of her. Why didn't you stay and take care of her?" Carlson put it to him.

"I couldn't get the time off work and besides it was just a little bump on her head. She should have flown back with me and then I could have taken care of her at home." Morelli said defensively.

"So you would have gone against the doctor's orders and forced her to fly when she was seriously injured and could have caused more brain damage or a brain aneurysm just so you could bring her back home and take care of her?" Carlson mocked Joe.

"Objection badgering the witness." Mrs. Cox interrupted again.

"I am just clarifying the actions of the witness." Carlson justified.

"Sustained, rephrase the question." The judge ordered.

"You wanted to insist she fly home against her doctor's orders?" Carlson restated.

"It wasn't an order. It was a suggestion." Morelli spoke through gritted teeth.

"Still you suggested she leave with you?" Carlson asked.

"Yes." Morelli nodded.

"Are you a doctor?" Carlson asked him.

"You know damn well I'm not." Morelli blew out a breath as he tried to get himself under control. "I knew he would use it to his advantage to tell her bad things about me and worm his way into her pants." Morelli whined.

"So you would endanger her life rather than leave her in the hands of her loving husband who wanted to take care of her?" Carlson clarified.

"Loving husband? Are you kidding me? He'll play the role as long as it suits him, but loving? NO! Lust is more like it." Morelli rationalized.

"What did you do?" Carlson inquired.

"I came home. I had no choice. I was very concerned. The love of my life was across the country under the care of the devil himself. I called her every day; it was all I could do." Morelli sounded defeated.

"How did that go?" Carlson probed.

"Terrible. Most of the time I called she didn't answer. I had to call five and six times a day. Then when I would get through she always seemed to be sleeping, even in the middle of the day. When she was awake she had bad headaches and didn't want to talk to me. It broke my heart." Morelli pronounced.

"So she couldn't remember you? She had a severe brain injury that caused her to have very bad headaches and be tired a lot and you were mad that she wouldn't talk to you." Carlson restated.

"Yeah I mean I take the time to call her, she wouldn't call me and then she couldn't even talk to me." Morelli pouted. "I knew Manoso was behind it. I was going insane with worry knowing he had her ear and could use her weakness to lie about me."

"Then what happened next?" Carlson continued

"Well when she finally came home I went to the airport to meet her with flowers and everything but she wouldn't come home with me." Morelli complained.

"She asked you to pick her up from the airport and told you the time of her flight?" Carlson questioned.

"No she told me she was flying back that night and I called American Airlines and found out the time for the only flight coming in from Hawaii. Then I called her mother and told her. She agreed that Stephanie needed to come home with me. Both her parents and grandmother came to the airport with me to convince her to do the right thing." Morelli supported.

"So you ambushed her at the airport. Did she come home with you?" Carlson examined.

"I didn't ambush her." He rolled his eyes. "She didn't know how much she wanted me there because she wasn't thinking right. I mean she didn't have a memory; she needed someone to force her to do the right thing. She couldn't be left alone, she had a hit out on her and they had already tried to kill her twice. I couldn't have her going to her apartment and getting killed." Morelli rationalized. "You don't know Stephanie. You don't understand how she operates. She constantly needs to be forced to listen to those who know what's best for her. She avoids safe houses and obviously ignores warnings to stay away from dangerous thugs." He looked daggers at Ranger and Hector who was still holding my hand.

"What do you mean she had a hit out on her and they had tried to kill her twice?" Carlson sounded confused.

"First, the brakes on her car didn't just fail, they were cut on purpose. Then a guy broke into the bungalow where she was sleeping and tried to shoot her. I mean the bullet came within inches of her head!" Morelli exclaimed.

"How do you know that?" Carlson seemed surprised.

"I read the police report." Morelli muttered.

"You have contacts in Hawaii?" Carlson dug in deeper.

"Some. Anyway, yeah she was nearly killed twice in Hawaii. Both times she was under his care." He glared at my husband.

"I'll bet that was scary." Carlson sounded concerned.

"Very scary to have my fiancée almost killed a second time." Morelli pronounced.

"She had a hit out on her is that why Mr. Manoso was playing bodyguard and protecting her on the day of your lunch meeting?" Carlson proposed.

"Yes but he didn't need to. I have a gun. I can protect her. No one, not even him, was going to hurt her in my mother's house." Morelli declared.

"So she got back and you wanted to protect her because her life was in danger but she wouldn't go with you. What did you do?" Carlson probed.

"I kept calling her every day, several times a day. When that didn't work I started texting too." Morelli explained. "I was desperate, I just wanted her to listen to me, and it wasn't fair that he got so much alone time with her."

"And she would take all your calls and talk to you?" Carlson questioned.

"No she seemed to be avoiding me, so I had to get creative. I bribed the manager of the bonds office, where she works to call me when she would be there so I could see her without Manoso's interference." Morelli revealed.

"That worked?" Carlson questioned.

"Yeah she called me. The second day Stephanie was back she went out to lunch to Pino's with Connie and Lula, the girls from the office and Connie called me, but I couldn't get there right away so I sent my mother to the restaurant to talk to her until I could get there." Morelli detailed.

Damn I knew those girls betrayed me I just didn't realize it was so deliberate and that they were calling Morelli directly. I just thought it was accidental like they were calling their girlfriends and Morelli was hearing second hand. I'll bet Ranger knew or suspected. I put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed. He covered my hand and squeezed back. I released a sigh and then sat back again and tried to keep my mouth shut and my ears open.

"So she tried to go out with the girls from the office and you ambushed her?" Carlson grilled.

"Objection wording." Cox said.

"Sustained. Counselor I'm allowing this line of questioning but keep it clean." The Judge said.

"So you sent your mother to see her and then joined them for lunch?" Carlson was nicer.

"Well she had ordered lunch with her friends. When I got there my mother was sitting at a private table with Stephanie explaining about Italian passion." Morelli disclosed.

"What about Italian passion?" Carlson queried.

"Italians are passionate people." Morelli stated flatly.

"What does that mean?" Carlson asked for clarification.

"Italian men are very passionate. It's what makes us such great lovers." Morelli avoided the truth.

"Mrs. Manoso is Italian herself. This doesn't sound like something she would need to be told." Carlson pushed.

"But she lost her memory and who knows what she was remembering so she needed to be told to accept all the things that go along with being with a passionate Italian Stallion like myself." Morelli said proudly.

"She needed to be told Italians are passionate people? Or to accept all the things that people do and call it being 'passionate'?" Carlson clarified.

"Both. Manoso is Cuban and they are not passionate people like Italians are and she needed to be reminded of it." Morelli insisted.

"I would like to admit several photographs into evidence." Carlson got three pictures from his desk and passed them to the judge and then handed them to Morelli.

"Who is this in the picture?" Carlson probed.

"Stephanie" Morelli answered.

"What is on Mrs. Manoso's arm?" Carlson tested.

"I can't tell." Morelli squinted.

"Look at the other photographs they are a close-up." Carlson poised.

"Looks like three round bruises in a row. And a forth larger bruise." Morelli answered.

"These were photographed after you met her at lunch where you grabbed her arm and wouldn't let go." Carlson pushed.

"No that's not right I would never grab her that hard." Morelli defended.

"Mr. Morelli we have already seen video and photographic evidence that you do grab her that hard and are not aware of it." Carlson demanded.

"Objection. Rumors, we have no testimony of him grabbing her in Pino's." Mrs. Cox justified.

"Several witnesses can testify that Mr. Morelli grabbed Mrs. Manoso and wouldn't let go even when asked." Carlson insisted.

"Sustained. When these witnesses testify you can reintroduce this line of questioning." The judge declared.

"Mr. Morelli she got these bruises after her lunch with you and her mother. Any speculation on how she got them?" Carlson questioned again.

"Probably some skip. She is always being grabbed and hit in her job." Morelli insisted. "If they were put there by me I don't remember. It had to be the pills."

"She had just gotten back from Hawaii and was not working yet, so it couldn't have been a skip." Carlson explained.

"I don't know. As best as I can remember I didn't touch her. Maybe it was Manoso." Morelli claimed.

"When was the next time you tried to see Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson solicited.

"I can't remember." Morelli dodged.

"She went to New York to visit a friend and you showed up on his doorstep." Carlson reminded.

"Oh yeah, Luca the cop from Brooklyn. She had no reason to be with him yet she was at his house and spent the night." Morelli expounded. "I was trying to protect her virtue. As I said her mind was damaged and weak. It still is. She doesn't comprehend what she is doing or the ramifications. She needs guidance."

"Guidance you'd like to provide?" Carlson asked.

"I am the best man for the job. I actually care about her, unlike others that just want in her bed." Morelli smirked.

"Can you explain in more detail what happened in New York?" Carlson encouraged.

"Yeah, I followed her to New York after she spent the night at this guy's house, but she wouldn't see me." Morelli described.

"Did she call you to come see her? How did you find her there and know she spent the night?" Carlson inquired.

"I had started tracking her cell phone. She wasn't returning my calls so what else could I do?" Morelli defended. "I was worried about her, I feared for her life."

"So you were tracking her cell phone and it showed where she was?" Carlson quizzed.

"Yes and I went to see what she was doing at a residence registered to Luca Romano." Morelli revealed.

"Lieutenant Romano?" Carlson asked.

"Yeah." Morelli rolled his eyes.

"And what was she doing there?" Carlson asked.

"I don't know. She refused to come out and see me." Morelli sounded defeated.

"Did you put your hand on your gun and threaten Lieutenant Romano? Did you try to use your status as a police officer to demand she see you?" Carlson tested.

"Of course not, I would never do anything like that." Morelli declared.

"I would like to introduce into evidence, a New York police report." Mr. Carlson said and handed the document to the judge and then to Morelli.

"Can you identify what this is?" Carlson questioned.

"It is a police report." Morelli said sarcastically.

"Can you read the highlighted text?" Carlson bid.

"This report was written and filed by Lieutenant Luca Romano of the 43rd precinct. I called for backup because I had Detective Joseph Morelli of TPD on my front porch and he was uncooperative when I asked him to leave and vacate my property. Mr. Morelli was waiting on my front porch when Mrs. Manoso, my daughter and I returned home from a day trip. I quickly ushered both females into the house where Stephanie stayed refusing to come out. Mr. Morelli was demanding to see Mrs. Stephanie Manoso. He was highly agitated. His eyes were dilated and there was the scent of alcohol on his breath. He stated that he needed to talk to her for a police investigation and threatened to get a warrant. Then he insisted that she was his fiancée and that she belonged to him and he needed to talk to her. He was becoming more agitated and aggressive with his hand on his service weapon. That's when I called for backup and went back into my house for personal safety. Detective Morelli could be heard ranting and raving on the porch. Finally he left on his own accord. Fifty minutes later Mr. Manoso showed up to take Mrs. Manoso home and a shot was fired into the driver's side window while Mr. Manoso was in the driver's seat and the window was shattered. Mr. Manoso was unharmed because the glass was bulletproof and only splintered but didn't break." Morelli read.

"I would like to introduce into evidence, photographs of the vehicle that was shot." Mr. Carlson handed the pictures to the judge and then Morelli.

"Were you still hanging around Lieutenant Romano's home an hour later and did you happen to see who shot at Mr. Manoso's SUV?" Carlson asked innocently.

"No." Morelli said defensively.

"No you weren't there or no you didn't see anyone?" Carlson pushed.

"No I had left before then." Morelli insisted.

"Was there a reason you drove over an hour to New York to see Stephanie Manoso, without an invitation to do so?" Carlson interviewed.

"I wanted to see her without Manoso interfering and I had been following her cell phone and I saw Manoso in Trenton so I knew he wasn't with her. I just wanted to talk to her." Morelli justified. "Besides, as I said I was worried about her virtue. She has a hero complex. When a man sticks up for her or saves her she feels like she owes him something. I was trying to protect her."

"Don't you think if she wanted to talk to you she would have called you back or answered one of the fifteen times you had called her that week? Or returned one of the dozen texts you had sent?" Carlson detailed.

"I knew that while they were in Hawaii Manoso would turn her against me and tell her bad things about me and I had to get to her to set her straight." Morelli defended. "Can't you understand my pain and humiliation?"

"Okay, so when did you see or talk to her next?" Carlson asked.

"She called me the next day. She said she was sorry for not seeing me. She wasn't in Trenton. I had been tracking her cell phone and it was still in New York. But now it was near the Manhattan Bridge and it wasn't moving. After another day of it not moving I knew she had ditched it." Morelli explained.

"So she called you. What all did you discuss?" Carlson acted interested.

"It was a short phone call. She told me she was having memory flashes but still couldn't remember everything. I asked her to meet me. I had bought a ring and was ready to propose. She agreed to meet at my mother's house for dinner the next day." Morelli enlightened.

"Your mother's house?" Carlson acted confused.

"Yes that way my mother could take pictures and we could celebrate the engagement as a family." Morelli expounded.

"And at this time you still didn't know that Stephanie Manoso was actually married?" Carlson clarified.

"No she still had not told me." Morelli said.

"So she was coming over for dinner the next day. What happened after that?" Carlson asked.

"She called me the next morning to change it to lunch. Then she showed up at the bonds office and Connie and I had an agreement that she would text me if Stephanie showed up. I got a text and I was free so I drove over there and sure enough she was there with Manoso and I reminded her of lunch and went to my mother's house to wait." Morelli claimed.

"Mr. Morelli there are different accounts of what happened at your mother's house. I would like to introduce into evidence this police report." He walked over and handed the judge a couple of pieces of paper that he took several minutes to read then handed them back. Carlson handed the papers to Morelli.

"Mr. Morelli this is the police report filed and signed by Mr. Manoso. His testimony differs slightly from yours will you read the highlighted text." Carlson asked nicely knowing this would be the nail in the coffin.

"Objection your honor, Mr. Carlson will have his opportunity to defend Mr. Manoso when it is the defense's turn. This is not his turn." Mrs. Cox said saucily knowing she was stopping his defense.

"Your honor this testimony is not in defense of Mr. Manoso, it shows possible alternative events and requires a response from Mr. Morelli." Carlson insisted.

"I'm going to deny the objection but the questions need to be relevant." The judge said.

Morelli began to read. "Morelli was kneeling asking Stephanie to marry him. Stephanie stood and dragged him to his feet asking if she could speak privately to him. Angie came back in the room and was moving around snapping pictures of the couple. Morelli wanted her to remove her rings and she told him she couldn't because she was already married to me and had discovered the marriage was not fake. Morelli denied that she was married and Stephanie spent several minutes convincing him the marriage was real. Grandma Bella said she wasn't going to sit through this and put the eye on us all and left the room. Stating "You should all get exactly what you deserve."

Morelli paused obviously shaken at the memory and took a deep breath then continued. "Morelli moved back to his knee and begged Stephanie to marry him. She again stated she could not because she was already married. She told him she remembered what happened before Hawaii. She remembered him hitting her. Joe became despondent and depressed kneeling on both knees now. She sunk down to both knees in front of him as she tried to comfort and encourage him. Suddenly, he had pulled his gun out pressed it to her forehead. Questioning how could she do this to him and demanding she leave me and get a divorce and agree to marry him. This went on for several long moments as I evaluated the situation and analyzed different ways to end the situation safely for everyone involved. Stephanie was pleading with Joe to lower the gun. Reminding him if he shot her he would lose his job. There was other discussion where Angie Morelli interjected and the arguing continued." Morelli paused again and looked like he was close to crying. He handed the paper to Carlson and said he couldn't read any more.

Carlson scanned the page and began reading where Morelli had left off. "Angie came over and put her hand on Morelli's arm and tried to talk some sense into him, telling him when Stephanie got her memories back she would divorce me and marry him. I was almost right behind him when Stephanie denied this saying he had hit her, he had hurt her and she wasn't going back to him. He said "If I can't have her, no one will." I was convinced at this time that he was preparing to shoot my wife. I lunged at him focusing on his right hand where he held the gun. As soon as I had control over his right arm I wrapped my left arm around his throat and dragged him back away from Stephanie. He tried to stand but I kept him down and he swung his right arm around to aim the weapon at Stephanie again and I grabbed his arm with the intention of pinning it behind his back when the gun fired and Angie was hit. It looked like he got her directly in the heart and she stumbled back collapsing into her chair, but I focused on him. After the gun fired, he dropped the gun. I pinned his arm behind his back and he struggled trying to get away and I pulled out his cuffs and cuffed him. Stephanie had picked up his gun and put it on the table to keep it visible and out of his reach. He crawled over to his mother on his knees apologizing to her and crying and telling her it was an accident and not to die. I called 911 even though I already heard sirens so they would know what to expect upon entering the house and to have a bus ready for Angie. Stephanie was using the table napkins to control the bleeding. I wanted to help but I was afraid if I took my eyes off him he may pull a second gun or find his key and get free of the cuffs. He was still out of his mind and saying crazy things to Stephanie like he would forgive her for shooting his mother if she would marry him. Minutes later I opened the door to the first police officers who took over. They secured Morelli and the scene and took everyone outside. Mrs. Morelli was surprisingly still alive, probably in thanks to Stephanie controlling the bleeding. The police interrogated all of us and then arrested us for Mrs. Morelli's attempted murder." By the time Carlson was done reading Joe had his cop face back on.

"What do you think Mr. Morelli about what really happened in that house?" Carlson questioned.

"I think that Mr. Manoso is used to falsifying statements and any other documents he chooses to. He is not very well known for his honesty." Morelli insisted.

"I would like to recall the pictures the people filed." Carlson was calm and collected. He knew this part of the testimony before the forensic specialist's testified was tricky.

He took the pictures and handed them to Morelli.

"Now according to Mr. Manoso, he hit your right arm to get the gun you were holding away from Stephanie's head. Is that what happened?" Carlson asked.

"No" Morelli said flatly.

"Then how was that mark made? You said yourself it took a lot of force, surely a move that would bruise like this one would be memorable." Carlson insisted.

"I said I don't know." Morelli said angrily.

"Then let's look at the photographs of your neck. The marks on your neck are going upward showing that whoever grabbed you did so from behind and above you and used a great deal of force. Like the amount of force it would take to move a hundred and eighty pound man such as yourself, that was perhaps kneeling on the ground backwards and away from Stephanie your intended target." Carlson interviewed.

"Bullshit! You can read all of the statements you want and introduce all of the pictures you have and it won't change anything. I was protecting Stephanie." Morelli exclaimed.

"Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson questioned.

"Stephanie." Morelli argued.

"Your honor?" Carlson looked at the judge.

The judge turned to Morelli. "You will refer to Stephanie Manoso by her entire name or by Mrs. Manoso."

Morelli nodded but didn't speak. Carlson had already explained to both of us that Morelli had to lie about the fight scene. Not for his reputation. But if it was proven he pulled his gun and threatened an unarmed person with it, his job could be on the line and if it was proven he shot his mother trying to shoot me he would go to prison for a long time.

"The marks on your neck seem to help corroborate Mr. Manoso's accounting of the events." Carlson suggested.

"Objection. When did Mr. Carlson become a forensics expert?" Cox jumped to her feet.

"Sustained. You can introduce any experts you want but you cannot play the expert." The judge admonished Carlson.

"Yes your honor." Carlson nodded to the judge.

Carlson took his time walking back to the table as Morelli moved around in the chair uncomfortably. When Carlson reached the table he moved a couple of papers around and then finally turned to look at Morelli and leaned against the table. He brought his hand to his chin and stroked it as he looked off to the side.

"Can you explain it to me again? What exactly happened inside that house before the gun went off from your perspective? I can't get the picture together in my mind."

Morelli sighed and shook his head. "I was down on my knee proposing to Stephanie…Manoso."

"Even though she was already married?" Carlson's eyebrows drew together.

"I had assumed it would be annulled and was just a matter of paperwork." Morelli hands moved with each word.

"But it hasn't been annulled." Carson interrupted.

"Do you want me to tell you or not?" Morelli snipped.

Carlson held up both hands palms out. "By all means please do."

"She nodded her head…" Morelli began.

"Who's she?" Carlson looked confused.

"Stephanie." Morelli nearly growled.

"Who?" Carlson raised an eyebrow.

"Stephanie Manoso." Morelli gritted.

"Oh? She nodded at your proposal?" He asked.

"Yes she did and then Manoso lost it. He lunged at her and I pulled my gun. I held it on him and ordered him to back away from Stephanie…Manoso." He rolled his eyes. "Then he attacked me."

"Then what?" Carlson pushed.

"He had knocked my gun hand away and the way he was pulling me back I was having trouble bringing my arm up and seeing where I was aiming." Morelli insisted.

"What were you trying to aim at?" Carlson provoked.

"Nobody I was just trying to keep my gun away from Manoso." Morelli stated.

"So your hand was swinging wildly and you shot your mother." Carlson solicited.

"No. Once I brought my hand up with the gun in it he grabbed my arm and began swinging it wildly around the room and that's when the gun went off and hit my mother." Morelli described.

"Let me get the picture clear in my head. You were both standing. His left arm was around your neck with his right arm dragging you back. What was he dragging you away from?" Carlson questioned.

"Stephanie. He wanted to get me away from her." Morelli answered without thought.

"Because you were threatening her?" Carlson clarified.

"No because I wanted to marry her and obviously she wanted to marry me as well" Morelli maintained.

"That's right, according to you, you asked her to marry you and she said yes. Did she take off her wedding rings? Did you put your ring on her finger?" Carlson mocked.

"No" Morelli answered.

"No? She was so excited to marry you she didn't take off her wedding rings so she could accept your proposal?" Carlson raised the question.

"No" Morelli said again without clarification.

"No in fact when you were arrested, the engagement ring was in its box in your pocket. How did that happen since supposedly you had it out in your hand proposing to Mrs. Manoso when Mr. Manoso attacked you? At what time did you get the chance to calmly put the ring back in your pocket instead of it being knocked to the floor?" Carlson pushed.

"When he stood up suddenly I knew there was going to be a problem so I put the ring in my pocket." Morelli claimed.

"You didn't give it to your wife to be, the woman who had just accepted your sweet and generous proposal?" Carlson probed.

"No, she didn't want to take her rings off yet." Morelli said.

"She didn't want to take her rings off?" Carlson was astonished.

"She was trying to explain things to me when he attacked me." Morelli kept to his story.

"So Mrs. Manoso didn't want to take her rings off, she was trying to explain something to you and Mr. Manoso suddenly jumped up and attacked you?" Carlson asked.

"She agreed to marry me." Morelli shrugged. "That must have put him over the edge. I told you the medication messes with my memory."

"So then you have a weak mind also?" Carson speculated.

"Objection." Cox jumped to her feet.

"What?" Carlson asked. "Detective Morelli stated that Mrs. Manoso had a weak mind because she was unable to remember everything."

"Overruled." The judge announced.

"Was your mind weak?" Carlson asked Morelli.

"No, just the medication makes it difficult to remember every little detail." He explained.

"Okay, after Mr. Manoso moved towards you what happened?" Carlson asked him.

"Lunged, he lunged at me and I was able to evade him so he turned on Stephanie…" He began.

Carlson interrupted by clearing his throat.

"Stephanie Manoso." Morelli rolled his eyes. "Anyway, when he turned on her I pulled my gun. I was focused on her so Manoso was able to hit my radial nerve which would have caused anyone to drop whatever was in their hands, but I was able to maintain control of my weapon. At least I was until he grabbed that arm. When I brought my arm back up he grabbed for the gun and we wrestled and that's when the gun went off." Morelli detailed.

"Is that when he grabbed your neck?" Carlson asked.

"Yes, he wrapped his forearm around my neck." Morelli explained.

"You sound confused." Carlson offered.

"It's the meds." Morelli offered.

"So, you're not sure?" He questioned.

"Look it's plain and simple. Manoso was pissed that Cupcake chose me so he attacked me. We struggled and the gun went off. Manoso is directly responsible for shooting my mother. I would have had control of the gun and it wouldn't have gone off if he didn't attack me. I had no choice." Morelli explained.

"So the gun was out before he lunged?" Carlson asked.

"Uhm no. I pulled it out after." Morelli bit into his lower lip.

"So why did he lunge at you?" Carlson pushed.

"Jealous! He's always been jealous of me. I had the girl, she may have gone through periods of confusion but she always came back to me in the end, always." Morelli expounded.

"Except not this time?" Carlson asked.

"We'll see." Morelli glared at him.

"Let's give your mind some rest for today on the specifics of what happened during that lunch. Tomorrow we are going to have the forensic specialist from the Trenton PD here and after he testifies. We can revisit everyone's placement, what happened and how it happened." Carlson defended.

"My story is the truth and it's not going to change." Morelli insisted.

"Mr. Morelli were you on duty while going to your mother's house to propose to Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson asked.

"I was on duty that day." Morelli said smugly.

"Were you on the clock or off the clock while at your mother's house?" Carlson specified.

"I clocked out when I left the police station." Morelli answered.

"So you were off-duty and not investigating any crime while you were at your mother's house for lunch." Carlson clarified.

"I guess." Morelli agreed glumly.

Woo hoo! Those answers took one whole charge and ten years off the table.

"I would like to submit these pictures into evidence." Carlson started as he handed a thick stack to the judge.

"Are all of these pictures necessary counselor?" The judge questioned.

"Yes your honor. They are all dated at the top and they show a pattern of behavior we would like the jury to be aware of." Carlson explained.

"Objection." Cox stood and moved towards the judge. "Permission to approach?"

The judge nodded and both lawyers moved to stand before him. I couldn't hear the conversation but both lawyers argued their points. I finally took notice of the judge and really studied him. He was a very ordinary looking man with a forgettable face. He had salt and pepper hair with brown eyes and his face was a contradiction. He had frown lines but also wrinkles near his eyes from smiling. At least I was happy he seemed to be a fair man, at least up until this point. Then I watched as Carlson's shoulders dropped and Cox straightened up. When she turned she had a huge smile spread across her face. When Carlson turned his face was blank, no hint of what he was feeling at all.

"Detective Morelli you may step down." The judge announced as he glanced at Joe.

I gasped. That was it? He didn't explode. He didn't freak out. He didn't sound sure about some details but now he had the meds to blame. Morelli smirked at me as he stood from the seat and made his way back over towards his mother. My head was suddenly swimming and I felt completely out of control as I watched her greet her son with a hug and cheek kiss. He was going to get off; Morelli was going to walk away from all of this scot free. Carlson came back to the table and the bailiff called for everyone to rise.

"We will have a two hour lunch break. Court will resume at 2:30pm." The judge announced before hitting his gavel down twice.

***************************THANK YOU**********************

Than you Jenn for your words and your magic touch that inspired me to kick it back in gear.

Thanks for the reviews and the PM's and just overall making me feel loved and special!


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26-

"He's not breaking, he has kept complete control." I worried.

We had entered a small conference room in the courthouse. Ranger held out my chair for me to sit and Carlson sat across from us. Cal came in behind us carrying a platter of sandwiches from Ella. I leaned back in the seat as Ranger handed me a water bottle. Hector moved into the chair beside me and began fixing a plate.

"Be patient Mrs. Manoso, we are simply setting the stage." Carson promised.

"What happened at the end? What were you discussing with the judge?" I wanted to know.

"I wanted to show the pictures of him with other women. We need to discredit him and Mrs. Morelli. The jury needs to view them as untrustworthy and lacking morals. People who lie to others in their daily lives and wouldn't hesitate to lie in court.." Carlson explained.

"But the judge said no?" My eyebrows drew together.

"Not exactly, they can be introduced if his past history with women is brought up by him or another witness for the prosecution." Carson continued to enlighten me.

"Can you make that happen?" I bit my lower lip.

He winked at me. "Of course."

"What's next?" Ranger asked him.

"Next I believe they will call up the forensics expert and I will cross examine quickly and painlessly. This morning we got some additions to the witness list." He smiled.

"Who?" I was curious.

Hector placed the plate in front of me and I absentmindedly picked up the sandwich. I took a bite and closed my eyes at the amazing taste. I turned to Hector and gave my best smile with a mouth full of food. He winked and then stood up to prepare his own plate. Ranger was chugging his water and scanning the sandwiches trying to locate something specific.

"Your father for one." Carlson announced.

"My father?" I was shocked.

"It seems like they are going to use him as a character witness. I think Morelli probably went to him to ask for your hand in marriage." Carlson took a bite of his sandwich.

"Should we be worried about this?" I asked. "I mean it has to look bad if my own father testifies that Morelli is a good guy."

"No, I'm not concerned about it." Carlson continued eating.

"Why?" I pushed.

"Mrs. Manoso…" He began.

"Stephanie." I interrupted.

"Stephanie, I'll warn you again. You are not going to like a lot of what is said in there." He nodded towards the door.

"Like what?" My brows furrowed.

"I plan to show your family as they truly are, unloving and unsupportive of you." He said softly.

"Oh well, uhm that's fine. If that's what we have to do." I shrugged.

"Babe." Ranger spoke.

"No, it's okay. It's the truth right?" I admitted.

"They're not your family anymore Chica." Hector gave me a closed mouth smile.

"You're right Hermano." I returned his smile.

"After lunch what can we expect?" Ranger asked.

"Their forensics expert, Officer Gary Gaspick, your father, a nurse from the hospital and possibly Angie Morelli today. We won't get a chance to begin our defense until tomorrow or possibly even the day after." Carlson explained.

"I hate waiting. This is so slow." I muttered.

"I know." Ranger patted my leg under the table. "It's going to be okay."

"Who's Officer Gaspick?" I realized he had said a name I was unfamiliar with.

"The one cop on the whole force who likes Morelli. He's an idiot. You call him Officer Picky." Ranger informed me.

"Oh." I acknowledged even though I had no memory of him.

We ate the rest of our lunch mostly in silence. My mind was racing with concerns. I was imagining the worst and hoping the jury wouldn't believe Morelli. I had hoped Carlson would force him to explode, force him to show his true colors. I had been disappointed that Morelli had kept his anger reigned in. I closed my eyes and saw myself talking to a hamster. I was asking him if he could explain how Joe could get so angry he would hit me.

My eyes flew open. "Rex! My hamster Rex. Ella was taking care of him and I haven't seen him since I've been back. I forgot I had a hamster."

Memories of him came flooding back to me. Me feeding him, cleaning out his cage, talking to him, the sound of him running on his wheel at night. Him always being there when I would come home. Crazy men breaking into my apartment and threatening Rex with a needle and trying to inject him with drugs, a cat being taped into his cage; and even after all of that he was always ok.

Everyone was silent but Carlson looked at Ranger with an eyebrow raised. Hector looked down at his sandwich. Ranger reached over and took my hand in his. He laced our fingers together as I turned to face him. He paused for a moment as if he was looking for the right words to say. I looked into his eyes with concern. I was curious about what he was going to say and surprised he was so hesitant.

"Babe I have some really bad news about Rex, but with this court case going on I don't want to stress you out even more." Ranger said.

"What? That I'm a bad hamster mommy. That I forgot my own child and haven't been taking care of him?" I half teased though I was feeling bad about it.

"No Babe. You're not a bad hamster mommy. Ella would have brought Rex back up to seven and you would have remembered him sooner." Ranger explained.

"Then what is it?" I asked getting more worried with each passing minute.

"He passed away." He said quietly.

"Who's Rex?" Carlson asked.

"Her hamster, he passed away while we were in Hawaii." Ranger told him.

"Sorry to hear that." Carlson told me.

"I didn't get to say goodbye." I felt tears well in my eyes.

"You said goodbye when you left for Hawaii." Ranger squeezed my hand.

"It wasn't a forever goodbye." I sighed.

"He had a very long life." Ranger forced a smile.

"I know. I've had him for like five years, I got him shortly after my divorce and most hamsters don't live that long. I was at the point of thinking he was going to live forever." I brushed some errant tears that had escaped.

"We can go get you a new hamster. After the trial when you can focus on another pet." Ranger offered.

"No, I don't think so." I was hesitant. "Rex was special. He listened to me. He always understood me. I know that's silly cause he couldn't talk but he always seemed to come out of his can when I needed to talk and he was a good listener."

"I know you loved him." Ranger supported.

"Yeah and I will miss him in my life but I have a new life now. With you and all the Rangemen. You are my family now. So I won't get lonely and I'll always have someone to talk to." I tried to be cheerful.

"Chica, I am always here to listen to you. Even when this _joda_ screws up." He nodded his head at Ranger. "I will always be here for you." Hector reinforced, smiling at me. _(pain in the ass)_

"Thank you hermano. That really helps." I returned his smile.

We finished our lunch and I downed two cups of coffee before we headed back into the courtroom. Morelli was already in his seat with his mother sitting on one side of him and my mother on the other. My father sat next to her. Ranger kept our hands intertwined as he led me to my seat. Hector slid in first and I moved to follow him, but Ranger didn't release my hand. I turned to face him as he lifted my hand to his mouth and planted a gentle kiss. I smiled at him and he winked at me before he released my hand.

The judge came in and the bailiff announced that court was back in session. The DA called their forensics expert to the stand and Dickie stood to question him.

"Objection your honor. Conflict of interest to have Mr. Orr involved in this trial." Carlson insisted.

"That motion has already been denied. Mr. Orr is the assistant district attorney and has been divorced from Ms. Plum…" Cox interrupted my thoughts.

"Mrs. Manoso." Carlson corrected.

Cox sighed. "Divorced from Mrs. Manoso for five years. There is absolutely no conflict of interest here. Mr. Orr represents the people, not himself."

"Objection denied." The judge nodded.

I tilted my head to the side as I studied him. This was my first husband, the man I chose to marry as soon as I graduated college. I considered his appearance as I looked him up and down. He had chestnut brown hair with hints of grey already showing on the sides. He had a receding hairline making him seem way older than he was. As far as I had been told he was only three years older than me. He wasn't an unattractive man; I thought his amber eyes to be his best feature. He had a decent body, not nearly as built as Ranger or even Morelli for that matter but he had some muscle on him.

 _I could see it now. Bits and pieces of our relationship. I saw the party I held for him when he passed his bar exam. I saw us lying in bed as he discussed his political aspirations._

" _You are the perfect woman to be at my side." He told me as he sat with his back against the headboard._

" _Why?" I asked._

" _You're smart, beautiful and you have an amazing reputation." His eyes twinkled._

" _And you love me?" I teased._

" _That too." He smiled._

" _Mayor Orr, Congressman Orr, Senator Orr." I leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek._

" _Yes, I can see it all now." He stared off into space._

 _I moved to kiss his lips and he turned his head. "Not now, I'm tired."_

" _Oh." I pulled away._

 _How could my husband make me feel so unwanted, so unattractive? I sighed as I slid back and laid my head down on the fluffy pillow. He moved to turn off the bedside lamp before laying his head down on his own pillow. He rolled over to his side, essentially turning his back on me. I turned on my side as I felt a tear slide down my face. He hadn't touched me in weeks, suddenly seemed uninterested in me and completely uninterested in sex. I figured it was the stress of him becoming a new partner in the law firm he had been working for. Probably it was all the long hours and late nights. He needed his sleep more than he needed me I guessed._

I looked back up to the stage. The forensics expert had a model of the Morelli dining room with models of where we were positioned. The model of Morelli and Ranger, had them both bent over at the waist. Morelli was holding the gun in one hand and Ranger holding the same hand with both of his, pulling away.

"As you can see when Mr. Manoso tried to wrestle the gun away from Mr. Morelli, he pulled down to get him to let go of the gun. Then the gun went off. Mrs. Morelli was standing leaning back from the shock of what was going on, so the bullet entered her at an upward angle ending up just below her heart. She is really lucky to have survived such a shot."

"No further questions your honor." Dickie said.

Carlson looked at his notes. Then he stood and approached the stand.

"According to you exactly what angle was Mrs. Morelli standing at in order for the bullet to enter her correctly?" Carlson was curious.

"She needed to be leaning back about 25 degrees." He explained.

"We would like a demonstration. Can Mrs. Morelli come and stand the same way she was standing when the bullet hit her?" Carlson turned to look at Mrs. Morelli.

"Objection your honor. That is ridiculous. Mrs. Morelli is not on the stand at this time." Mrs. Cox sounded exacerbated.

"Sustained." The judge announced.

"Since she won't come up here to show you," Carlson was talking to the jury, "How about I demonstrate. I'm going to lean backwards, stop me when I have gone far enough back." Carlson addressed the expert.

Carlson started leaning backwards more and more and more and then he tipped backwards and had to take a step back to regain his balance.

"So did I get far enough back?" Carlson was not talking to the expert.

"You were almost there." He replied.

"In fact it is completely abnormal and just about impossible to stand at a 25 degree backwards angle." Carlson implied he was making it up.

"It's not impossible." He stuck by his testimony.

"One more question. Is this the only possible location for these people to be in for this event to have happened this way. With the gun firing from that location and Mrs. Morelli being hit below her heart at an upward angle." Carlson was firm.

"I don't know." The expert seemed confused.

"Is there any possible way that things happened in a different way to have everyone be where they were at the time the gun fired?" Carlson pushed.

"I guess, there could be." He wavered.

"In fact you didn't even consider other ways it could have happened. You were given Mr. Morelli's testimony and were told to come up with a scenario that matched it." Carlson drilled.

"Objection your honor," Mrs. Cox said and faltered as she tried to think of a reason. "Badgering."

"I'm trying to clarify the facts this expert used to come up with his scenario." Carlson clarified.

"Sustained. Rephrase the question." The judge answered.

"What information were you given to base your scenario upon?" Carlson questioned.

"Mr. Morelli and Mrs. Morelli's police reports." The expert was proud.

"Did you even see the police reports from Mr. and Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson bore down.

"No." The expert seemed embarrassed.

The forensics expert was dismissed from the stand. I watched as my father was called to the stand. He stood and flattened out the wrinkles on his blue dress shirt. My mother grabbed his hand and smiled at him before he stepped out of the pew where he had been seated at her side. He ambled up to the seat and swore to tell the truth.

"Can you state your name?" Cox asked him.

"Frances Plum, I go by Frank." He answered.

"Thank you for making time to come in today Frank." She smiled.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Can you tell me about Joe Morelli?" She asked.

He shrugged. "He's a good neighborhood boy.

"So you've known him for a while?" she inquired.

"His whole life." He said flatly.

"His family? Are you familiar with them?" She questioned.

"His mother is well known for being an excellent cook, the perfect mother and wife." My father admitted.

"And her son, Joseph Morelli? What was he known for?" Cox asked.

"He's done good for himself. When he got out of the Navy he joined the police force. Then he got his Aunt's house after she died. He is a good man and would have made a great husband for Stephanie." My father announced.

"Did you ever see him put his hands on Stephanie in a mean or hurtful way?" Cox asked.

"Of course not." My father scoffed.

"Then why do you think the defense alleges that?" She glanced at the jury.

"Look, Stephanie hasn't been the same since she lost her job with that underwear company. Working as a bounty hunter, living in constant danger, running with the wrong people, her life's a mess. Then she meets this Manoso and things get worse, she has street gangs after her and cars blowing up. Now with her memory messed up I am sure he's feeding her lies." My father shrugged.

"Have you tried to reason with her? To help her at all?" Cox looked disappointed.

"No. That's her mother's thing. I work and she takes care of the house and kids. I stay out of it." My dad admitted.

"Did Detective Morelli ever come to speak to you on his own?" Cox had a curious look on her face.

"Yes. A few months ago he came to ask for Stephanie's hand." He shrugged.

"What did you say?" she probed.

"I told him yes, he's a good guy and he loves her. Obviously she loves him because she kept going back to him every time they broke up. They just couldn't stay away from each other." He had a blank look on his face.

"But now she is married to Mr. Manoso." Cox explained.

"Temporarily." My father glanced at Ranger.

"Temporarily?" She questioned.

"She always goes back to Morelli, like I said she must love him and he's a good guy." My father finished.

"Thank you." Cox smiled before she winked at Carlson. "Your witness."

"Thank you." Carlson returned her smile as he got to his feet.

"Hello Frank." Carlson moved closer to the stand.

"Yeah." My dad rolled his eyes.

"Do you know Mr. Manoso?" He asked.

He shrugged. "He's been over to the house a couple of times."

"Have you ever spoken more than a greeting to him? A few passing words?" Carlson strolled around leisurely.

"No." My father looked bored.

"So how do you know he's a bad influence on her?" Carlson stopped and turned to my father.

"Look at her life since she met him." My father sighed.

"Before that she was normal? She followed her mother's rules? She did everything that was expected of her?" Carlson asked.

"No!" My father exclaimed.

"No?" Carlson tilted his head.

"She was a very curious kid. She was always getting into trouble; she broke her arm because she jumped off of the roof thinking that she could fly. Then she got rebellious and snuck out at night. God only knows what she did, she was lucky she didn't get knocked up." My father looked disappointed.

I just shook my head. This was my father? The man who raised me? How could he hate me so much and speak about me like this? I couldn't imagine any father would talk about his daughter like this. He didn't interfere with my life? What the hell did he mean he let my mother take care of everything? I was getting a headache so I leaned into Hector, my eyes closed.

 _I climbed out my window and out onto the roof. I moved up near the top and sat down to enjoy the night air. I laid back and looked up at the stars as I tried to figure out what shapes I could make with them. The neighborhood was alive with sounds here and there. I heard a dog bark, a car door slam, and someone had their television entirely too loud. I closed my eyes and pictured the inside of my house. My father was in his recliner with his eyes glued to some game on the television. My mother was passed out on the couch and my sister was in her room practicing putting on make-up. I contemplated the idea that I might be adopted before I opened my eyes and refocused on the night's sky._

 _I didn't want this life, not this family and not the 'Burg'. I was a princess, a super hero, I wanted to be an explorer or an adventurer, I could go on safari in the desert or jungle. I would love to go somewhere, anywhere but here. Maybe if I could fly, yes if I could fly I would fly far away from here. I would find a new family that loved me and accepted me for who I was. I got to my feet and moved to the edge of the roof. I could try, maybe it would work. I smiled and held my arms high above my head as if I was diving into a pool. I bent my knees and drove my body up, as soon as I was airborne I spread out my arms as if they were wings._

 _I swear I flew, I stayed in the air and flew just for a few seconds and then gravity kicked in. The air whooshed from my lungs when I landed on the grass with a thud, the pain surging through my arm made me cry out. I quickly jumped to my feet and looked around to make sure no one had seen me. I knew I would be in trouble if my mother found out and the neighbors would think I was crazy. I'm sure I would be punished for embarrassing her. I cradled my arm against my chest when I quickly realized every move shot excruciating pain through the length of it._

 _I glanced around trying to figure out what to do next, it wasn't as if a ten year old could drive herself to the doctor or maybe the hospital. If I called an ambulance my mother would be mortified. I could go to my grandma and grandpa's house, I knew they would help me, but they lived more than ten blocks away. I considered the neighbor Mrs. Trotter, but then I dropped that thought knowing she would tell my mother. I went around to the back door and entered the house without a sound. I winced as I climbed the stairs up to my room. As soon as I was safe inside I closed my door and leaned against it._

Light flashed before my eyes.

 _I was in the waiting room of the ER at Helene Fuld hospital. I sat quietly in a seat holding my arm against my chest. I looked to my side and watched my mother fill out a paper that was attached to a clipboard. She looked over at me and glared as the anger radiated off of her. I fidgeted uncomfortably in my seat and then felt her hand on my thigh, I bit down on my cheek to control myself when I felt the pain of her fingers digging into me_

" _Sit still." She ordered through clenched teeth._

 _I froze but didn't speak, I knew she preferred me quiet and out of the way. I had no interest in dolls, cooking, or cleaning and she made it quite clear she had 'no use for a dreamer'. I closed my eyes and bowed my head hoping the world would fade away._

" _I can't believe we are here. We don't have money for this and I still don't believe you. Who breaks their arm falling out of bed? You're such a little liar." She hissed. "I should have stopped at one child, you should have been a son."_

 _The tears welled in my eyes but I refused to let them fall. I was used to this and I had become very good at controlling my emotions, my only victory was hiding exactly what her words did to me. No, my mother never hit me, she squeezed, grabbed, pinched and pulled but never hit me. It was her words, her words were worse than slaps or punches. Her hateful words haunted me long after she had spoken them._

My eyes snapped open and I immediately looked over to where my mother sat next to Angie Morelli. I leaned forward and saw that she used one hand to lace with Angie's and the other patted the top of her hand. She gave Angie a closed mouth smile to reassure her. I wondered how she could so easily turn her back on me to so publicly abandon me and side with the Morelli family.

Hector hugged me close and I looked up at him. He planted a chaste kiss on my nose and then winked at me. I felt the smile creep up on my face, he was my family. This was unconditional love, I knew there was nothing I could ever do that would make Hector hurt me or stop loving me. I finally had a family I didn't fear, a family that supported me and all of my crazy dreams and ideas. I just wished I could remember more happy times with them and less hurtful times with my birth family. For just a moment I wondered if I deserved my new family, and I vowed right then and there to return the love and loyalty I received from them.

I looked up at the stand and saw that a new witness had replaced my father. There was a young looking brunette sitting up there looking nervous. She had long brown hair that was teased up in the front. I peered into her big brown eyes and tried to remember her but I couldn't place her. She forced a smile as she glanced around. I focused and listened as Dickie Orr approached her. He gave her a gentle smile and greeted her with a quiet 'good morning'.

"Good morning." She nodded with a shy smile.

"Can you state your name please?" Orr asked her.

"Nicole Bruschini." She spoke softly.

"And what do you do for a living?" He asked.

"I am a nurse at Helene Fuld Hospital." She leaned forward.

"How long have you worked there?" Orr moved closer to the jury.

"Three years." She answered.

"I bet you have seen some crazy stuff." Orr smiled.

"Uhm yeah there has been some crazy things." Her smile spread.

"And some great stories?" He pressed.

"Sure." She nodded.

"Any stories about Stephanie Plum?" He asked.

Carlson cleared his throat.

"Manoso." Orr rolled his eyes.

"Yes, she's been to the ER a lot." Nicole looked embarrassed to smile.

"Why?" Orr looked honestly curious.

Nicole giggled. "She's clumsy and well, not very good at her job from what I understand."

"So would you say she makes poor choices?" He asked her.

"Yes." She huffed out a laugh.

"And it seems lots of things happen around her and she takes no blame?" Orr prompted.

Nicole laughed. "She always says 'it's not my fault', but everyone knows it's completely her fault. She's such a joke and everyone around her usually gets injured or in trouble in some way. She is often the talk of the ER, some of her biggest screw ups are legendary."

"And Detective Morelli. Do you know who he is?" Orr asked.

"Of course. Everyone knows him." She rolled her eyes.

"Do you see him at the hospital?" Orr continued.

She nodded. "He often checks up on injured cops or interviews suspects. Sometimes he has had to come and pick up Stephanie."

Carlson cleared his throat again I had no idea why it was so important to him to have me constantly referred to with the name Manoso attached to it.

"To pick up Stephanie Manoso?" Orr corrected.

"Yeah, he is a good guy. Very loyal." Nicole smiled.

"Who is he loyal to?" He asked her.

"His friends, family, other officers. He's just an all-around good guy and everyone knows it. He's very well respected in our community." She smiled.

"Would you say we are safer knowing he is serving in our community?" Orr asked.

"Absolutely. I know I sleep better at night with him on duty." She smirked.

"Thank you for your time." Orr wore a smug smile as he crept back to his seat.

Carlson rose to his feet and adjusted his suit jacket. He smiled and nodded to the jury and then to Nicole. He slowly approached the stand where she sat and then stopped about ten feet from her and gave a slight bow.

"Good morning and thank you for coming here to help out with this case Ms. Bruschini." He lifted both hands to gesture towards her.

"You're welcome?" It sounded like a question, she was weary of Carlson.

"You seem to think highly of Detective Morelli, what's your opinion of this whole case against Mr. Manoso?" Carlson asked.

"What I've seen of him he is a common street thug." She stated. "Everyone is pretty terrified of him. He doesn't exactly scream safe when he is around, he instills fear in the hearts of many."

"And you told us what you thought of Stephanie Manoso." He reminded.

"Yes, she does the stuff she does for attention." She answered.

"For attention?" Carlson stopped.

"Yeah, she gets injured or blows something up and everyone comes running." She rolled her eyes and then made a pouty face. "Oh poor Stephanie."

"And men come running to help her?" He was curious.

"Of course." Her eyes were about to roll out of her head.

"Good looking men like Mr. Manoso and Detective Morelli?" He inquired

"Yeah everyone knows she keeps them both around just for her amusement." She sighed.

"These are your opinions; do you have any facts to share?" He inquired.

Nicole rolled her eyes. "Everyone's afraid of him, he's trouble."

"Are you afraid of him?" Carlson asked her.

"No," She shook her head.

"Why not?" Carlson looked curious.

She shrugged. "I have friends."

"You have friends who aren't afraid of him?" He asked.

"Yeah." She answered quickly.

"I thought everyone was afraid of him, that's what you said right?" He moved closer to her.

She shrugged again. "Yeah, well not everyone."

"Who? Who's not afraid of Mr. Manoso?" Carlson pushed.

"Morelli." She answered before her eyes went wide, she was shocked at her own answer.

"Detective Morelli?" Carlson rested his hand on the railing between them.

She nodded.

"You have to answer out loud." He informed her.

"Yes." She made a face to show she was annoyed.

"How do you know Detective Morelli?" He asked her.

"You meet lots of Trenton PD working at the hospital." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Do you know Officer Gaspick?" He asked.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Officer Gazarra?" He asked.

"Uhm no, I don't think so." She shook her head.

"How about an Officer McTighe?" He questioned.

She shook her head again. "Not him."

"How about Officer Russell?" He inquired.

She shook her head, but Carlson raised an eyebrow. "No." she spat.

"Officer Costanza?" Carlson offered.

"Are you making these names up?" She eyed him suspiciously.

"No, they are all members of the Trenton Police Department." He paused "So it would seem like you don't know a lot of officers. Have you only seen Detective Morelli at the hospital?"

"Objection." Dickie rose to his feet.

"You brought her up as a character witness." Carlson pointed out.

"To offer knowledge about Mr. and Mrs. Manoso's character not Detective Morelli's." Dickie corrected.

"Overruled." The judge shook his head. "You brought in the witness for her opinions."

"So Ms. Bruschini, have you ever seen Detective Morelli away from the hospital?" Carlson repeated as he moved towards the table where my husband sat.

"Of course. The Burg is a small town, everyone knows everyone. People bump into each other every day." She sounded rehearsed.

"Your honor, I would like to introduce these pictures into evidence." Carlson picked up some pictures from the table.

"Objection." Cox jumped to her feet. "You already ruled on these."

"They were not to be introduced without context, there is context for any photographs that contain the witness and challenge or confirm her statements here today." The judge ruled.

Cox huffed out a breath and plopped down in her seat. She leaned in to whisper something to Dickie and then began furiously writing on the pad of paper in front of her. Carlson slowly crossed the room and handed the pictures to Nicole and then moved towards the jury and handed them a copy of the pictures as well. I watched as the first juror went through them, he raised his eyebrows a few times and even shook his head before passing them along. When I glanced at Nicole she had gone pale. After looking through every picture she glared up at Carlson.

"Where did you get these?" She spoke through gritted teeth.

"They just so happened to be taken during an investigation for something else." He shrugged.

Cox rose. "What investigation?"

"I'm not at liberty to say, there is a confidentiality agreement involved." He informed her.

"Well, if it has to do with this case…" She began.

"It does not, you can clearly see the pictures were taken over three weeks ago." He smiled at her.

She glared and sat down as I smiled. It seemed as if things were finally going our way in this case. I was excited for what would happen next and a part of me was happy to see Nicole was getting angry. I was hoping she would lose her composure. I looked over at Morelli and he was squirming in his seat. He felt my eyes on him and turned to face me. At first there was sadness and then anger flashed in his eyes before he looked away. I focused my attention back on Carlson as he asked his next question.

"You and Morelli seem to be very close in those photos. There is one with you on his porch and you seem to be kissing goodnight. Is that how friends kiss?" Carlson inquired.

She rolled her eyes and then shrugged. "Okay, so we went on a couple of dates."

"While he was supposedly engaged to Stephanie Manoso?" Carlson looked surprised.

"He said they were in an off period." She shot Morelli a concerned look.

"Off period? With his fiancée? That seems weird. Were you two exclusive?" Carlson asked.

"Of course. I don't sleep around." She scoffed.

"So you slept with him?" Carlson looked surprised.

"Uhm…well…yes." She finally sputtered out.

"And he wasn't with anyone else?" Carlson asked.

"Hell no." Nicole was aggravated. "He better not have been."

Carlson slowly walked over to our table again and picked up another stack of pictures. Cox jumped up and glared at him. The judge had them both approach the bench and they argued in loud whispers. Carlson was saying she chose the witness and Cox was arguing that Morelli was not on trial. In the end Cox walked away with the look of a pouting child, I was surprised she didn't stomp her feet. Carlson wasn't smiling but I could see a slight lift at the corners of his mouth as if he was trying to hold one back.

He walked over to Nicole and handed her the pictures. She began looking through them as Carlson handed the copies to the jury. I watched as Nicole's eyes went wide and then squeezed tight with anger. She kept glaring up at Morelli. Finally she finished going through the pictures and focused her eyes only on him. If looks could kill he would be dead a million times over, she was pissed. She glanced down again and then looked up at him and sat back with a smile.

"I guess the rumors are true." A breath of laughter escaped her.

"Rumors?" Carlson asked.

"Objection." Cox was on her feet.

"We can ask what she's heard as long as it's first hand." Carlson offered.

"You can only tell us about anything you heard first hand. You can't tell us Dick told you Jane said…" The judge instructed Nicole as she nodded.

"What did you specifically hear?" Carlson asked as Cox harrumphed.

"Terri Gilman came into the hospital about four weeks ago and told me to stay away from Morelli because she was with him." She sighed.

"Did you talk to Detective Morelli?" Carlson asked.

"Of course I did, he said she was a psycho who had been stalking him since high school." She shook her head.

"Excuse me your honor." Cox interrupted. "Detective Morelli is not on trial here."

"You're right. But he is one of your eye witnesses and you have brought forth character witnesses to vouch for him. It's my duty to show there is another side to Detective Morelli." Carlson smiled.

"Overruled. Mr. Carlson is correct. You introduced witnesses to attest to Detective Morelli's character." The judge noted.

"Thank you your honor." Carlson nodded.

I thought I heard Cox mutter "Shit" before she sat down.

"Ms. Bruschini from your expression I take it you thought your and Mr. Morelli relationship was exclusive. Did he ever say anything to you that made you think that?" Carlson probed.

"He told me many times I was the only woman for him." Nicole answered.

"So you had no idea he was sleeping around with other women at the same time he was dating you?" Carlson was sympathetic.

"No" She seemed annoyed.

"Do you now believe that he lied to you about Mrs. Gilman stalking him?" He supported.

"Yes, obviously he was willingly seeing her too." She looked sad and mad at the same time.

"So Ms. Bruschini, had you heard anything else about Morelli's reputation?" He asked.

"I heard two officers talking at the hospital. They were talking about Morelli's temper. They had seen him yelling and shaking Stephanie." She sighed.

"Shaking Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson asked.

"Yeah." She shrugged. "I guess she blew up another car and he was trying to shake some sense into her."

"Is that normal?" Carlson asked.

"It's an Italian thing." Nicole rolled her eyes.

"I think there are many Italians that would argue with you about that." Carlson moved slowly around the room.

"Whatever." Nicole was back to shooting daggers at Morelli.

"What do you think of Detective Morelli now?" He asked her.

"He's a typical Morelli man." She glared.

"What's a typical Morelli man?" He looked curious.

"A lying, cheating, abusing drunk, he's just better at hiding it. I plan to tell my brothers all about the way you treated me. You're fucking scum." She nodded her chin at him.

"Language." The judge cautioned.

"I'm sorry you had to find out like this." Carlson looked sympathetic.

"Sure you are." She glared at him.

"It's not my intention to embarrass or hurt you, I just thought you deserved the truth." He assured her.

"The truth?" She scoffed.

"The truth is not something you're used to hearing?" He was curious.

"Not from Morelli." Her voice rose.

"Would you call him a liar?" Carlson lead her.

"Objection. Leading." Cox rose to her feet.

"Rephrase" The judge ordered.

"Do you trust Morelli's word?" He tried.

"I don't trust him as far as I could throw him, he is a liar." She announced.

"I'm so sorry you had to find out this way." He shook his head. "Am I done?" She asked.

"Yes. Thank you very much for your time Ms. Bruschini." Carlson smiled.

He walked back to the table and took his seat. Nicole stepped down and swung her hips as she walked towards where the spectators sat. She was wearing leopard print five inch FMPs, her dress was the same leopard print. Her tight dress showed off her curves and ample breasts. She walked by Morelli and he held out his hand which she quickly smacked away with her purse before stomping out of the room.

Cox and Orr were leaning in close whispering softly. I watched as she pointed at writing on the notepad on the table in between them. He nodded to her and a slow smile crept across his face. He glanced over at me and winked. I snarled at him as I felt a wave of nausea run through me. How could I have ever been married to such a disgusting cocky idiot? How could I marry a man named Dickie? What grown man goes by the name Dickie? I blew out a breath and relaxed into the pew, at least I was free from him now. The judge called on the prosecution to continue their case. I straightened up when he stood, anxious to hear what he would say next.

"Your honor, we would like to call Mrs. Angela Morelli to the stand." He announced.

**************************THANK YOU******************************

Thank you all so much for your continued support and understanding. I really appreciate all of you and your kind words of encouragement.

Thank you Maggie for your long thought out reviews.

I promise you all I will never have an incomplete story.

Thanks as always to my awesome Beta Jenn. I never knew how much better it would be to work with someone so talented.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27-

I watched as Angie Morelli slowly rose from her seat. Joe stood and moved out of the way so she could pass. She stopped and he took her hand to I assume give it a squeeze and she kissed his cheek. She was wearing a light yellow dress with a white sweater covering her upper arms. She glanced at me nervously before her brown eyes focused on the ground. She slowly made her way to the seat at the stand beside the judge.

She raised her hand and swore on the bible as I slowly shook my head. She was a good Catholic woman that went to mass every week and I was so hoping she would take her promises seriously and speak the truth, but I wasn't holding my breath. I leaned back against the pew type seating and listened to her recite the story of my husband threatening Morelli and then the battle over the gun. I blew out a breath and focused hard on her as she continued with her lies, always avoiding my eyes. Finally it was Carlson's turn to ask his questions.

"Mrs. Morelli you told us quite an interesting story today." Carlson began.

"I told you the truth." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Did you see Detective Morelli point the gun at Stephanie's head?" Carlson asked.

"As I said, I didn't see much of anything. They were all arguing." Angie slumped in frustration.

"Who were they?" He asked.

"My Joseph, Stephanie and that thug." She motioned towards Ranger.

"Your honor." Carlson pleased

"Mrs. Morelli please refer to Mr. Manoso by his name." The judge advised.

"Yes your honor." She nodded.

"Were they all standing, kneeling or sitting in their chairs?" Carlson didn't give her an opportunity to say she didn't see anything.

"They were all standing, I think." Her voice getting smaller as she spoke.

"Were they talking in normal voices, whispering or screaming at each other?" Carlson listed her options.

"Screaming." She said a little louder and more confidently.

"You don't have to give me exact words but what was Mr. Manoso screaming?" Carlson poked.

"I don't know." Angie avoided.

"Again you don't have to give me exact words but he must have had some message that stuck out in your mind." Carlson questioned.

"I don't know anything." Angie turned her head away.

"Was he screaming to kill her?" Carlson pushed her.

"No." Angie was back to whispering at the ground.

"Okay, so before the whole incident happened what was the conversation at the table? Perhaps if we start there your memory will improve." Carson suggested.

"We were fine. We were all sitting at the table having a nice meal. I am known for my ziti and everyone was enjoying it. It's so important to have sit down meals that are homemade with love." She explained.

"And what happened next? When did things change or why?" He asked.

"I don't…" She hesitated. "I wasn't paying attention."

"What had your attention?" He questioned.

"I was focused on the food." She shrugged. "I wanted to make sure everyone had what they needed to enjoy their lunch."

"The lunch you invited Mr. Manoso to take part in?" He wondered.

"I didn't expect him nor did I invite him, however once a visitor is at your door its only good manners to invite any guests to join you for a meal whether they were originally invited to come over or not." She informed him. "What would the neighbors think?"

"I guess they all think you are a good hostess." He shrugged.

"I like to think so." She smiled.

"So, everyone was seated at the table?" He asked.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Who's everyone?" He inquired.

"Myself, my mother-in-law, Stephanie, my Joseph and that…uhm…Mr. Manoso." She forced a smile.

"Did anyone leave the table?" He asked.

She nodded. "My mother-in-law left."

"When?" He inquired.

"I don't remember." She stared off into space.

"Before or after the arguing got physical?" He wanted to know.

"Before." Angie quickly answered.

"Why did she leave?" He tilted his head.

"She doesn't exactly approve of Stephanie to be my Joseph's wife." She noted.

"Why?" Carlson watched her.

She shrugged. "She doesn't think anyone is good enough for him, it doesn't matter who it is."

"But you love Stephanie? You think she's perfect for your son?" He slowly moved towards the jury.

"Yes, she's always been the one for him. Not that nurse or Terri or anyone else." She gave a quick nod.

"It sounds like your son has had a lot of girlfriends." He glanced at the jury.

"Not girlfriends." She shook her head. "He can't help it really. Women have always been attracted to him, always fawned all over him. Even as a child all of the girls in the neighborhood wanted to play with him."

"So, he's a lady's man?" Carlson smiled.

"Not by choice. Can you imagine how hard it is to be so good looking, such a virile Italian man? Who could resist?" She smiled in return.

"Who indeed." He nodded.

"But he's a one woman man now." She assured him.

"And that one woman is?" He waited.

"Stephanie of course." She nearly rolled her eyes.

"Right. Okay, then Detective Morelli proposed?" He asked.

"Yes." She smiled.

"You were happy about this?" He inquired.

"Of course, I love Stephanie." She leaned to the side to send me a smile.

I rolled my eyes and Hector squeezed my hand.

"You love her?" Carlson tilted his head.

"Yes." Angie looked at him with frustration.

"Would you ever want to see her hurt?" He asked.

"Of course not, why do you ask such silly questions?" Her brows furrowed.

"What would you do if someone was trying to hurt her? Would you protect her? Help her?" He moved towards the jury.

"I would help her." She nodded.

"That's nice of you." He acknowledged.

"I don't know what kind of person you think I am." She muttered.

"Did you want Stephanie Manoso as your daughter-in-law?" He asked.

"I already answered that. She is the perfect fit for our family, the perfect woman for my Joseph. It's like two magnets always being pulled together." She smiled.

"So you really like her?" He leaned on the railing near the jury.

"I love her like family." She quickly answered.

"And you protect family right? Italians are fiercely loyal to family right?" He proceeded.

"You better believe it." She lifted her chin.

"Have you helped or protected Stephanie in the past?" He inquired.

"Yes." She answered quickly and then covered her mouth.

"Was it help or protect?" He pushed on.

"I've helped her." She said quietly.

"How?" He wondered

She shrugged. "She was injured from a one of her criminals and felt a headache later. Joseph called me to care for her."

"One of her criminals?" He sounded confused.

"Yes. What do they call them? Skips?" She shrugged.

"Ah yes. So she was injured by a skip and your Joseph saved her?" Carlson wanted to know.

"I'm not sure, maybe she went to his house for help." She guessed.

"Speaking of saving Mrs. Manoso, do you know if Joseph was able to save her from some of these dangerous situations?" He asked her.

"Save her?" Her voice rose. "He begged her to quit her job. Every time she got in trouble he begged her to quit that awful job."

"Begged her? How? How did he even know when she was in danger?" Carlson tilted his head.

"You know, he would get a call. I am sure that was embarrassing enough." She clicked her tongue. "Imagine your friends and colleagues calling you all of the time to tell you your girlfriend had blown up another car or nearly gotten herself killed for the millionth time."

"That sounds frustrating, Joseph must have been furious." He shook his head.

"He was always aggravated with her; she just wouldn't get it in her head. He tried everything to get her to listen. He could never shake sense into her." She sighed.

Carlson shrugged. "Maybe she didn't hear him. If she was at the scene of an emergency there was probably lots of noise."

"Oh no. He yelled and screamed." She laughed. "Anyone could hear him from blocks away. Such passion in that one."

"In your Joseph?" He inquired. "He has a lot of passion?"

"Oh yes. He is the most passionate of my children." She smiled.

"The yelling? The screaming? Trying to shake sense into her? Nothing worked?" He was curious.

"No. He was desperate. He had ulcers. My poor son." She shook her head.

"That sounds terrible. Why did he put up with it?" He asked her.

"Love. True love. Stephanie and my Joseph were always meant to be." She pressed both hands over her heart. "Not many men could handle her, she is a wild one. My Joseph? He can tame any woman."

"Oh wow. That's quite a talent. Was he able to tame Stephanie Manoso?" Carlson asked.

"He's getting there, he's no quitter and now it's just a matter of time." She assured him.

"So back to your story. Stephanie Manoso was at your Joseph's home and he called you for help?" Carlson asked.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Did Joseph call her an ambulance?" He folded his hands calmly.

"I don't think so?" Angie said to her feet.

"You don't remember or you don't know?" His brows edged close.

"I guess he didn't. I was a nurse you know, and who do you call when you get in trouble? Of course you call family you trust." She gave him a closed mouth smile.

"So he got in trouble because he hurt Stephanie and called his mommy?" Carlson smirked.

"No he would never hurt her. He's a good boy." She glared at our lawyer.

"So how was she?" He asked her.

"She was fine." She waved him away dismissively.

"Then you didn't need to come over?" He pushed as he moved closer to the jury.

"Yes, I went over because Joseph got called into the station. She had passed out and had a lump on her head. He needed me to watch over her in case she had a concussion." She glanced at Morelli. "He's always thinking of others, such a good man."

"Do you remember if Joseph told you how it happened?" He tilted his head.

She shrugged. "Must have been a bad guy."

"Define bad guy." Carlson muttered.

One of the jury members blew out a laugh and Cox jumped to her feet.

"Objection Would you like to share with the class?" She glared at Carlson.

"I'm sorry your honor, a question that I was considering asking popped out. It won't happen again." He gave a nod to the judge.

"It had better not." I judge admonished him.

Cox blew out a breath that made her lips make a noise that had every head turn to look her way. Her cheeks grew red before she quickly fell into her chair. Carlson slowly crossed the room until he got to the table where Carlos sat. I wondered for a moment why we didn't have a second lawyer. He had clerks and assistants, I had seen them running around papers and such for him. There was just he and Carlos at the table. I shrugged and focused back on the scene. Carlson turned to face Angie.

"How many times have you gone to Morelli's to take care of Stephanie?" Carlson stared her down.

"What?" She seemed shocked.

"How many times has Joseph called you to come take care of Stephanie after she blacked out?" Calson repeated.

"One or two times" She wavered.

"Well which is it one or two times?" Carlson pushed.

"Two" She answered quietly.

"So Stephanie Manoso just mysteriously blacked out on two separate occasions where she ended up having a big knot on her head and a possible concussion?" Carlson probed.

"Yes" She looked concerned.

"And both times wonderful Joseph just happened to have to leave and called you over to take care of Mrs. Manoso." Carlson sounded doubtful.

"Yes he got called to work. You know public servants like nurses and police officers; when duty calls you have to go." She said more confidently.

"Can you tell me what happened at your home when you were shot?" He asked.

"I already told everyone." She was confused.

"Moment by moment what happened." Carlson asked.

"Joseph proposed to Stephanie. She said yes." She insisted.

"And you took photos of the whole thing?" Carlson inquired.

"Yes" She answered.

"Your honor defense would like to admit these photos taken by Mrs. Morelli into evidence." Carlson did the routine and offered the photos to Mrs. Morelli and the jury.

"Mrs. Morelli what are we looking at here." Carlson queried.

"Joseph and Stephanie standing, looking at each other." She explained.

"Is this before or after Joseph proposed?" Carlson looked serious.

"I don't remember." She hedged.

"You took these photos and you don't remember what was happening when you took them? You are having a lot of trouble remembering that day, did you hit your head or have some medical reason you can't remember what happened?" Carlson demanded.

"Objection, badgering." Cox said standing.

"Your honor, Mrs. Morelli was in a highly stressful situation. It has been proven senses get sharper, and we become more aware of our surroundings in these types of situations. She was in the room taking these pictures, she should have been aware enough to know what she was taking pictures of. Unless her memory has been affected by her injuries or some other reason, and if her memory of the incident is impaired for any reason the jury has a right to know." Carlson insisted.

"Denied, the witness will answer the question." The judge ruled.

"My memory is fine, I just need a minute to think." She paused as she studied the photo in her hand. "The picture was taken after."

"Can you describe the look on Stephanie Manoso's face?" Carlson looked intently at her.

"I don't know." She avoided.

"Does she look ecstatically happy because the man of her dreams just asked her to marry him?" Carlson was sarcastic.

"No" She answered.

"Does she look happy at all?" Carlson pushed.

"Not really." She was unhappy.

"Does she look upset and worried." Carlson continued looking at the jury.

"I guess." She seemed defeated. "It had to be difficult for her."

"What was difficult?" He stopped moving and glanced at her.

"She is so kind, she never wants to hurt anyone. I am sure she felt bad that Mr. Manoso was upset." Angie explained.

"How does Joe look?" Carlson persisted.

"I don't know." She avoided. "He is very good at hiding his emotions on his face, that's what makes him an excellent police officer."

"Does he look happy like the woman of his dreams just said yes to him?" Carlson grilled.

"No" She was looking at the floor again.

"No, he looks upset and she looks upset and worried because in fact she came to lunch to tell Joe she was married and Joe got very upset by that fact." Carlson outlined.

"No that's not what happened." She insisted.

"If that's not what happened please explain these pictures." Carlson demanded.

"These are my pictures, they are my property. You shouldn't even have them." She asserted.

"The police took them as part of the crime scene and they are part of the evidence collected in the arrest, I didn't personally collect them. Mrs. Morelli, please continue your story. Stephanie Manoso supposedly said yes but by your own pictures she looks upset and Joe looks upset. What happened next?" Carlson continued.

"Mr. Manoso got mad and attacked Joe, then he tried to attack Stephanie. Joe pulled his gun to protect her." She said weakly looking up at the jury.

"Can you tell everyone about Stephanie? What was she doing? I heard about Morelli and Manoso and the fighting for the gun. I listened to your story, but you didn't make mention of Stephanie." He unfolded his hands.

"What do you want to know?" She looked suspicious.

"Let's back up a little before the photos. How was she acting before your son proposed?" He asked.

"She was fine, maybe a little quiet, but she was fine." Angie announced.

"Did your son propose properly? Did he go down on one knee and take her hand?" He looked curious.

"Of course he did, he wasn't raised by wolves." She shook her head.

"Where is the picture of him proposing?" Carlson stared her down.

"I had to leave the room to get the camera when he got down on one knee." She explained.

"So you weren't even in the room to hear the question and get the answer?" Carlson eyebrows went up in surprise.

"Well I knew what he was asking and what she was going to say." She defended.

"Again you weren't in the room to hear her answer?" Carlson clarified.

"I came right back I didn't really miss anything." She insisted.

"So according to you, who was not in the room, he asked and she said yes. Then what happened?" He kept his eyes on the jury.

"I was getting the camera." She dismissed him.

"Did he slip the ring on?" Carlson pushed away from the railing.

"Well…uhm…he couldn't." She muttered.

"He wasn't able to? He couldn't physically perform the task?" He looked skeptical. "It wasn't the right size?"

"There was something in the way." She glared at him.

"What was in the way?" He inquired.

"The fake rings." She spat.

"They're fake?" Carlson looked surprised.

"They have to be." She sighed.

"Why is that?" Carson moved closer towards the table.

"I'm sure he couldn't afford real rings like that, the cubic zirconia is well over 2 karats." She shook her head. "And everyone knows Stephanie would probably lose it."

Carlson picked up some papers from the table and carried it over to the DA's table. He placed a single paper in front of Dickie and then headed towards the judge. He handed him a copy as he announced the evidence letter and then passed a copy to Angie. She glanced at it and then shock came across her face. Carlson waited patiently as the judge passed the paper back to him and he handed it to the jury. He moved back in front of Angie.

"Do you know what you're looking at?" He asked her.

"It says appraisal." She shot him a look.

"Can you tell us about the first item listed?" He questioned.

She sighed. "Size six platinum wedding band. Eight diamonds totaling one karat."

"And the next item?" He encouraged.

She heaved out an aggravated breath. "Size six platinum engagement ring. One Princess cut diamond totaling three point five karats. Two circular sapphires totaling one karat."

"Do those sound fake to you?" He asked.

"This means nothing." She ripped the paper in half. "What does this have to do with anything? He tried to steal my son's fiancée, he shot me and his actions caused the death of my mother-in-law. So he has money to waste on rings, he's still a criminal. Can anyone tell us how he earns this money? He doesn't exactly look like a man who knows how to handle money."

"And how would a man like that look?" Carlson asked.

"Oh come on!" She rolled her eyes. "He can cut his hair and you can throw a suit on him, but we all know what he is. His money means nothing. I ask you again what does this have to do with anything?"

"Well, the prosecution has brought up witnesses to try to tell us about the character of Mr. Manoso and the character of the state's number one witness Detective Morelli. It's my job to show the judge and jury the true character of each man so they will know who is telling the truth." He explained.

"Don't talk to me like I am a child Mr. Fancy Pants Lawyer." She raised a lip in disgust.

"I'm sorry I was just answering your question." He looked so innocent.

"Objection." Cox rose.

"Mr. Carlson, the witness should be answering questions not you." The judge ordered.

"I apologize your honor, I just wanted to make sure Mrs. Morelli understood the process." He admitted.

"You people think you can buy everything." Angie muttered under her breath.

"I'm sorry?" Carlson turned to her.

"He needs to go to jail for what he did. I could have died." She pointed to her chest.

"What exactly did he do?" Carlson asked.

"Well, he uhm well you know what he did." She leaned forward.

"That's why you're up there Mrs. Morelli. We need you to tell us how you remember things." Carlson looked at her sympathetically.

"Mr. Manoso was very upset." She stated.

"Because he was worried for Stephanie Manoso's safety?" He offered.

"No Because he was jealous of my Joseph and jealous over the bond that Joseph and Stephanie shared." She informed him.

"They ended up struggling with the gun is that right?" Carlson asked.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Did your son have anyyy other weapons on his person?" He asked her.

She shrugged. "I don't think so."

"Did Mr. Manoso have any weapons on his person?" He moved closer to her.

"I'm sure he did." She shook her head. "I wouldn't be surprised if he had knives in his socks."

"Actually Mr. Manoso standardly carries two guns and a knife with him at all times." He paused. "Why do you think he didn't pull on of his own weapons?"

"I don't know, I can't begin to figure out the mid of a crazy person." She rolled her eyes.

"Perhaps he didn't pull his out because his only concern was securing Detective Morelli's weapon so Mrs Manoso would not be injured?" Carlson offered.

"No that's not what happened." She defended.

"Then what really happened because it seems you don't want to answer any questions honestly?" Carlson looked hurt.

"How dare you? I am a good Christian woman. I just uhm..." She paused. "I just don't remember every little detail. I was upset, I was shot, it was very stressful."

"My apologies Mrs. Morelli. I don't want to upset you. I am only trying to get to the bottom of what happened during the lunch in your home." He looked apologetic.

"Well, okay. I can understand that, a man just trying to do his job." She nodded.

"What did you think of Mr. Manoso and the way he behaved in your home?" Carlson asked her.

She opened her mouth and then closed it. She glanced over at her son and then gave a very slight od before she continued.

"He's a monster. He lost it at the table when Stephanie agreed to marry Joseph and he just went crazy. Losing the woman you love could drive any man crazy." She shot Ranger a look of pity.

"I suppose losing the love of your life would drive a man crazy." Carlson agreed as he moved away from the stand.

"Uhm yeah." Angie looked nervous.

The judge nodded so Carlson continued. "Can you explain exactly what Italian passion is?"

Angie's head jerked up and she looked at Carlson. She glanced around the room before she settled on me. She shot me a glare as if I had exposed a family secret, and perhaps I had.

"Only an Italian woman can understand it." Angie looked away.

"Didn't you tell Stephanie Manoso what it was?" He asked.

"No." She was firm.

"No? Mr. Manoso quotes you talking about it to Stephanie in front of the whole group of them in the middle of their fight. Stephanie remembered Morelli hitting her and you explained it was the Italian passion." Carlson insisted.

"I told Stephanie Plum." Angie looked smug.

"What did you tell her?" Carlson pushed as he moved closer to her.

"Italian men are the most passionate of all men and sometimes it explodes. It's like fire and can't be controlled. It's normal that Italian men act like this. My son wouldn't hurt a fly but the passion is uncontrollable and sometimes it comes out when they are pushed." Angie stared off.

"Are you saying he hurt Stephanie?" Carlson pursued.

"No." She looked at him.

"Who pushed him? You said the passion comes out when he is pushed." Carlson asked.

"Well, he is very protective of those he loves so I suppose it pushed him when Stephanie refused to leave her job, but he would NEVER purposely hurt her."

"But you just said it's the passion. You said it wasn't his fault, he couldn't control it." He turned away and headed back towards the jury.

"My son has control, unlike his father before him. Stephanie should count her blessings that he was able to remain calm and focus on his proposal in the face of such anger and hostility, my Joseph has the patience of a saint." Angie held up her hand like she was making a pledge.

"Hostility and anger?" Carlson arched an eyebrow.

"That Mr. Manoso was very angry. I don't think he likes seeing Stephanie make her own decisions. The way he guides her around and gives her jobs and orders," She clicked her teeth and shook her head. "It's like he thinks he owns her."

"Is that why they argued?" Carlson stayed close to the jury.

"No, well I guess. I don't even really no. I didn't hear everything when they were arguing." She shook her head.

"He did pull out his gun though, your son Joseph." He leaned against the railing.

"He was protecting Stephanie." She nearly rolled her eyes

"By pointing the gun at her?" Carlson asked.

"Uhm no, my Joseph is an officer of the law. He would never aim his gun at anyone that was not armed." Angie assured him.

"Of course all mothers see the very best in their children." Carlson nodded.

"Some are easy to see the best in." Angie smirked and tilted her chin up.

"Okay. How has Stephanie been since she returned from Hawaii?" He asked.

"She has changed, he changed her." She pointed at Carlos.

"Changed her how?" Carlson folded his hands together.

"Gave her ideas." She muttered.

He propped an elbow up on the railing. "Ideas about what?"

"Obviously he's convinced her that her family is against her. Isn't that enough?" She shook her head.

"And you don't think Mr. Manoso is helping Stephanie? Perhaps he's the best thing for her?" Carlson suggested.

"Joseph is the best thing to ever happen to her. What they have? It's true love. It's how things are supposed to be." She shrugged. "So what if he gets a little passionate sometimes."

"Passionate, is that just another way to say abusive?" Carlson interrogated.

"Joseph would never hurt her." She insisted.

"So the times he called you over because she mysteriously had head injuries so severe she blacked out weren't from him?" Carlson pushed.

"No" She claimed.

"Well, I for on hop she won't have any more of those episodes." He straightened up and moved towards Angie.

"That's why she needs to quit that job. Once she's gotten the fake marriage annulled and that thug is paying for what he's done we can all go back to normal." She placed her hand on her chest.

"It's a shame you got hurt in all of this." He remarked.

"Let's hope Mr. Manoso will pay for what he's done." She looked smug.

"Hopefully the guilty man will pay for hurting you." He gave a grim smile before dismissing her.

I shook my head. I was hoping she would come clean or she would lose her temper. I still wasn't sure what Carlson was doing. I had thought he would go into attack mode with Angie and Morelli and I didn't understand how he remained so calm even when he knew both of them were lying. I was anxious for the state to rest their case so Carlson could begin his defense, actually I was anxious for this whole thing to be over. I felt so helpless, I just wanted to get back to making new memories with my husband and learning how to do searches and other work for the company so I could feel like I was contributing and not just living off of someone else.

"We would like to call Stephanie Manoso to the stand." Cox's words pulled me out of my thoughts.

I felt my eyes widen as I looked at Hector in horror. Me? What did they want with me? He gave me a forced smile and patted my leg. I got to my feet and immediately gripped the wooden railing in front of me when I felt my legs go weak. Ranger turned around and patted my hand. Our eyes met and he nodded his support before pulling away. I swallowed away my nerves and forced my feet to move. I focused on remembering everything Carlson had coached me on, saying exactly what I could remember, stating when I had no memory of something and avoiding saying I don't know.

I felt cold and a sudden shiver shot through my body as Angie and I passed each other. I stared straight ahead and focused on the task of making it to the stand without falling or freaking out. I was prepared. Carlson had warned me that this was a possibility and he had spent weeks going over my testimony and what to say. I would not be rattled no matter what they say about Rang…Carlos or me. I will keep calm and remain composed no matter what. The bailiff brought over the bible and I swore to tell the truth. I settled down into the seat and Dickie slowly rose to his feet.

"Objection. Mr. Orr is an antagonist for Mrs. Manoso." Carlson rose.

"Your honor, this was already ruled on. Mr. Orr is here to represent the fine state of New Jersey and not himself." Cox also stood.

"I'll allow it but tread carefully." The judge ordered Dickie.

"Thank you, your honor." Dickie nodded to the judge.

I folded my hands together and laid them across my lap and glanced at my husband. He gave me a slight nod and I felt a calmness wash over me. I breathed out a sigh of relief and closed my eyes just for a couple of seconds before I refocused on Dickie. He was glancing down at a paper and then slowly looked up at me. He gave me a smile and then moved towards me.

"State your name." Dickie instructed.

"Stephanie Manoso." I smiled at him.

"Good afternoon Stephanie." He greeted me.

Carlson cleared his throat.

"Pardon me, Mrs. Manoso." Orr corrected himself. "How are you today?"

I looked at him a moment and then took a breath before I answered. "Okay."

"Just okay?" He pushed.

"Objection." Carlson stood up.

"Get on with it." The judge ordered Dickie.

"So why don't you tell us about your relationship with Detective Morelli." He suggested.

"I know what he has told everyone, but my memories don't match what he said." I answered honestly.

"It was understood that he was your fiancée." He noted.

"He never asked me to marry him and he never got me a ring, So no we were not engaged." I explained.

"Engaged to be engaged, awaiting the ring to finalize it. Everyone knew he was your expected fiancée. Would you define the relationship that way?" He asked.

"That's how he defined it when I first met him in the hospital." I nodded.

"When you first met him? He inquired.

I nodded. "Yes"

"So he was helping you by reminding you what you were to each other." Dickie smiled.

"No, he lied to me and everyone at the hospital. In reality I had broken up with him before I left on that trip." I insisted. "I just didn't remember that right away."

"Yes or no, you lost your entire memory on that trip, even forgetting your own name." Dickie's tone grew sharp.

"Yes." I answered too quickly.

"Yes or No, to this day you still don't have your memory back." Orr questioned.

"No" I answered.

"So how can you tell us you were not engaged to Mr. Morelli?" Orr pushed.

"I have been getting my memories back." I maintained.

"and now you remember everything?" Orr tested.

"No just bits and pieces of time, flashes of events." I explained.

"So how do you know you what memories are missing? Is it possible you just don't remember being engaged to Mr. Morelli." Orr bade.

"No." I shook my head.

"Why not?" He was quick to ask.

"Because I remember the fight we had before I left, where he called me a slut and a whore and I broke up with him and he hit me across the face and knocked me down." I enlightened.

"And how do you know that's a memory and not a dream or a picture put in your head by suggestions made by others?" He asked.

"I just know." I assured him.

"You just know?" He chuckld. "So you say you have some memories. What is your first memory of Mr. Morelli?"

"At the hospital in Hawaii."

"But that wasn't really the first time you met him." He remarked. "What's your earliest memory of you two together?"

I closed my eyes and took a breath. "He took my virginity on the floor of the Tasty Pastry Bakery."

"Wow!" Dickie looked surprised.

I glanced around the room. My mother crossed herself and Angie shook her head. My father was staring off into space, obviously oblivious to the whole conversation. My husband gave me a reassuring nod and Hector glared at Morelli. Finally I looked over at the jury. Several faces were full of surprise and a couple of the women looked at me like I had two heads.

"Was that typical behavior for you?" Dickie interrupted my thoughts.

"What? No. I mean that was how I lost my virginity so obviously that wasn't something I normally did." I shook my head.

"Not something you did before Detective Morelli." He offered. "Perhaps something you grew fond of after getting a taste of wild sex."

"No it traumatized me. He wrote about it all over town and I was grounded for three months." I told what I could remember. "When you awoke in the hospital in Hawaii who was the first person you saw?" He asked.

"A nurse named Daniel." I told him.

"And then?" Dickie asked.

"The doctor came in." I informed him.

"That was it?" He asked.

"Carlos." I answered.

"Mr. Manoso?" He clarified.

"Yes." I nodded.

"And he told you that he was your husband?" He wondered.

"No, it was actually the doctor." I corrected him.

"So he had obviously told the medical staff that he was your husband?" He asked.

"I don't know." I shrugged.

"How can you not know?" He sounded annoyed.

"I was not conscious when I came in to the hospital." I explained.

Dickie frowned slightly and one of the jurors breathed out a laugh.

"What was your first memory of Ranger?" He asked.

"Objection." Carlson announced.

"I'm sorry. Mr. Manoso. What was your first memory of Mr. Manoso?" Dickie corrected.

"From when I met him in Hawaii after I woke up?" I played stupid to aggravate Dickie.

"No." He rolled his eyes. "The first memory that came back to you involving him."

"He saved me. I was in a cabinet and he found me. He opened the door and I fell out into his arms." I smiled.

"How convenient. Are you sure no one helped you with these memories?" He suggested.

"No, no one helped me." I assured him.

"Your next memory?" He pushed.

"I remember bits and pieces here and there and occasionally flash back to a whole scenes in my life." I explained.

"I see, so what was the next big scene you remembered?" He wanted to know.

I smiled. "I was on my mother's porch. I was begging her to let me move back in because my husband had cheated on me."

He took a step back and cleared his throat. The same juror who kept letting out laughs here and there breathed out another one. I looked over at him and he smiled back at me. That had to be good right? Either he was on our side or he just liked laughing at the situation. I wasn't sure but I preferred to believe the prior.

"Let's skip to since you've been back in New Jersey. Where did you live once you returned home from Hawaii?" He asked.

"With my brother Hector." I responded.

He shook his head. "You don't have any brothers."

"He's my best friend, like a brother." I clarified.

"Another lover?" He asked.

"Another? No! I said brother not lover." I corrected.

"So you only had two lovers?" He wanted to know.

"What?" I felt my eyebrow squeeze together.

"Well, it's known that you had a relationship with both Detective Morelli and Ranger Manoso." He noted.

Carlson cleared his throat.

"Carlos Manoso. You were in a relationship with both men. What do they call it? An open relationship, or were you a swinger, perhaps you were trying to initiate a threesome?"

"What? No." I shook my head.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just assumed both men knew. So you were just sleeping with them both?" He tilted his head slightly.

"What? Wait. No. I don't think so." I was flustered.

Dickie scoffed. "You don't know if you were sleeping with two men at once? Some people call that being a whore."

"Objection!" Carlson shouted.

"Watch yourself. Just focus on the questions and leave out the commentary." The judge cautioned Dickie.

Was that what I was? I know I had been with both men. I assumed I was with Ranger during off times with Morelli. Was I wrong? I never really thought too deeply about it. How could either one of them have tolerated that? Two strong alpha males both allowing their woman to cheat? Wait no. I was not Ranger's woman because he didn't do relationships, but the gangs called me Ranger's woman.

"Can you answer the question?" Dickie interrupted my thoughts.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat it?" I asked him.

"I said were you in a relationship with Mr. Manoso?" He repeated.

"No. He doesn't do relationships." I explained.

Dickie laughed. "He doesn't do relationships but he married you?"

"Yeah, well…" I trailed off.

"Why did he suddenly decide to marry you?" He questioned.

I shrugged. "You have to ask him."

"Oh I will." He assured me.

Dickie paused and walked over to the table and looked at a note and then glanced at Carlson. I figured that Dickie was trying to emulate Carlson but really had nothing to look at. Where Carlson had looked casual during his pauses, Dickie looked stiff and uncomfortable.

"Do you remember Detective Morelli coming to the scene of all of your disasters?" He spoke before turning around.

"Yes." I narrowed my eyes. "I remember a few."

"So you concede that you had many disasters while performing your job? That is a job that is probably very dangerous? A job way out of your league?" He moved closer.

"Objection. How many questions can he ask at once?" Carlson asked.

"Mr. Orr, slow down your questions please, allow the witness a chance to answer." The judge ordered.

"Yes your honor." He spoke to the judge and then turned back to me. "You remember a lot of disasters in the dangerous job you were unqualified for?"

"Your honor." Carlson was back on his feet and a chuckle escaped him. "Two outta three ain't bad?"

"Excuse me?" Dickie turned on him.

"You asked her three questions and then you changed it up to answer two of them for her." Carlson informed him.

"Well…uhm…"Dickie stuttered.

"Get it together Mr. Orr." The judge cautioned.

"Yes your honor." He nodded. "Stephanie…"

Carlson cleared his throat.

"Damn it." Dickie muttered out in a very quiet whisper.

"Full name." The judge stated.

"Mrs. Manoso," He rolled his eyes. "Your fiancée came to your rescue many times during the disasters that happened due to your employment."

"Objection." Carlson was on his feet again. "Where's the question?"

"We're waiting Mr. Orr." The judge sighed.

"Would you say that was true? That he came to rescue you during a disaster?" He finally asked.

"Not that I remember." I shrugged.

"What exactly do you remember?" He waited.

"He came to the scene of some car fires and accidents, but not to rescue me." Dickie tried to interrupt me, but I kept speaking. "More like he came to yell at me and shake me."

"Shake some sense into you?" Dickie asked. "A man who is frustrated that the woman he loves seems to have a death wish. Can you blame him?"

"Yes. He was physically trying to shake sense into me, with his hands on my arms. That's abuse not love." I glared.

"How do you know that's a real memory and not one that you have been told to believe?" He asked.

"No one tells me what to believe. I am sure there are many witnesses to how he reacted." I announced.

He nodded. "There are witnesses that we can introduce that would state that you two couldn't keep your hands off of each other. You two were known for your tempers and screaming at each other. Would you agree with that?"

"I do remember him screaming at me and waving his arms. I do remember us arguing." I nodded.

"Some would call that the lead up to angry sex." He smirked. "You already told us about your entrance into exciting and wild sex on the floor of the Tasty Pastry. So please tell us if you are into angry sex."

"Objection." Carlson announced again.

"I'll allow it." The judge decided.

"Angry sex, are you into it?" Dickie repeated.

"What? No. I don't know. I mean no, it wasn't like that." I was getting frustrated.

"You said you remember his hands on you?" Dickie asked.

"Yes." I nodded. "He has grabbed me, bruised my arms"

"So between that and the screaming some may call that foreplay." He shrugged.

"I wouldn't." I glared.

"You also call it okay to sleep with two men at once." He smiled.

"Objec…" Carlson began.

"Mr. Orr, you are treading on thin ice here." The judge warned.

"I'm sorry your honor. I am having a hard time with the witness's moral behavior." He frowned.

"I'm sure you are." The judge shot him a glare.

"He bruised your arms you said right?" Dickie asked me.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Did you like it?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" I clarified.

"Did you like it? Were you into it?" He paused. "Maybe being rough is your thing."

"Being manhandled is not my thing." I assured him.

"Do you remember that you and Detective Morelli had a certain term for your sex life?" Dickie asked.

"Objection." Carlson tried.

"I'll let it continue" The judge held up his hand.

"Do you?" Dickie asked me.

"Yes." I glared at him.

"Can you tell the court what that was?" He smirked at me.

I rolled my eyes and heaved out a sigh. "Wild gorilla sex."

Dickie laughed and a few people in the room guffawed.

"That sounds like things got pretty wild between you two. Pretty hot right?" he asked.

"I don't remember that." I returned his smirk.

"Maybe you don't remember how rough you liked it? Do you remember having sex with Joe Morelli?" He wondered.

"Yes." I affirmed.

"Do you remember if it was wild? Maybe a little rough? Maybe one or both of you left some bruising?" Dickie bit back another smile.

"Objection. Which question would he like her to answer?" Carlson sounded a bit agitated.

"Mr. Orr." The judge admonished him.

"I apologize your honor, I will slow down my questions." He nodded at the judge and then turned to me. "Was bruising and being rough with each other part of your foreplay with Joe Morelli?"

"What?" I spat out.

"We've already determined you had a relationship with two men at once. We've already determined that you like your sexual interactions wild. So tell us please, do you like it rough?"

I heard a snap and followed the sound. Carlos was holding a half of a pencil in each hand. I watched his chest move as he took slow deep breaths. He closed his eyes momentarily and then focused back on me. I could hear Carlson object as both lawyers approached the judge. I didn't try to listen to what they were discussing with the judge; instead I focused on my husband. I tilted my head slightly and tried to show him how I felt with my eyes. I wanted to show him how much I loved him. His shoulders relaxed and he set the pencil pieces down on the table. He leaned back in his chair and gave me a very slight nod.

"Mr. Orr, clean it up. I'm getting tired of warning you." The judge shook his head at Dickie.

Dickie nodded and both men stepped away. Carlson headed back to the table and sat down. He wrote something down on his pad and passed it towards Carlos to look at. I watched him look down and read the note and then he looked back at Carlson and nodded. Dickie was back at his table too but he was standing. He glanced at his own notes before he turned back around to focus on me.

"Have you ever received any bruises during sex?" He asked.

"Not that I ever remembered." I answered him.

"But you still don't remember a lot. Could it be that you have enjoyed crazy wild gorilla sex for years getting lots of bruises and you just don't remember?" He asked for clarification.

"I don't think so. It doesn't seem like something I would accept." I told him.

"Do you know if you ever had sex standing up?" He inquired.

"I guess so." I shrugged.

"You guess so you know or you guess yes you have had sex standing up?" He asked for more.

"I have had sex standing up with my husband. I have no memories of ever having standing up sex with Morelli." I answered.

"Do you remember ever having sex in public?" He asked.

"No, I have no memories of ever having sex in public." I admitted.

"But you still don't have all of your memories back." He paused briefly before continuing. "Right?"

"Right." I nodded.

"Maybe you haven't remembered your wild side? The side that calls it wild gorilla sex?" He moved closer.

"I never called it wild gorilla sex, that's just what Joe would call it." I was trying not to get upset.

"As far as you can remember." He chuckled.

"Yes." I growled out.

"Help me out here." He paused. "You're doing two guys right?"

"From what I understand I wasn't in a relationship with Joe when I was with Carlos." I explained.

"From what you understand or from what you've been told?" Dickie sighed.

"Morelli told me himself it was during our off times that I was with Carlos." I shot back.

"And what did Carlos tell you?" He dragged out the name.

"The same." I regained some control.

"So you were still essentially with two guys at the same time whether you want to label them relationships or not." Dickie surmised.

"I uhm…I guess." I admitted.

"Okay and with one you call it wild gorilla sex and the other is known for being rough and dangerous. Is it possible that you liked rough sex? Is it possible bruises would be a normal occurrence for you during sex?" He was right in front of me.

"It doesn't seem right." I shook my head.

"But you don't know for sure?" He asked.

I hesitated. "No, I don't know for sure."

"Then it's quite possible the bruises left on you were caused by something you wanted, demanded perhaps." He nodded to the jury.

"I haven't had sex with Morelli since I have been home from Hawaii." I was confused.

"Maybe you don't remember." He puffed out a laugh.

"That's not fair. Do you think I like missing parts of my memories?" I was angry.

"I'm asking the questions." He gave me a dismissive smile.

"Ugh." I bit my lip.

"What were you doing at the Morelli house on Tuesday, May third?" He asked.

"I was invited. Joe Morelli wanted to talk to me and suggested we meet for lunch at his mother's house. I went because I wanted to tell him I was married and to leave me alone and I felt after a three year relationship he deserved to hear it from me face to face." I explained.

"Did Carlos Manoso go with you?" Dickie asked.

"Yes." I responded.

"Was he invited?" Dickie raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." I answered.

"Oh really? By who?" He scoffed.

"By me. I wanted him to come with me so I would feel safe." I elaborated.

"What happened when you got there?" Dickie turned his back and walked away from me.

"I helped Angie in the kitchen with lunch and shortly after it was served Morelli proposed to me." I informed him.

"Detective Morelli?" He asked.

"Yes, Detective Morelli." I agreed.

"What happened then?" Dickie pushed.

"I told him no. I told him I was married to Carlos Manoso and I wasn't going to get a divorce." I folded my hands in my lap.

"That must have been quite a shock since you were engaged to Detective Morelli." Dickie shook his head.

"I was never engaged to Detective Morelli." I narrowed my eyes.

"Never?" He tilted his head.

"Not that I know of." I shrugged.

"You don't remember?" Dickie looked smug.

"I don't have all of my memories back yet, but from what I do know he never asked me and never had a ring to give me." I glared at him.

"You don't have all of your memories?" He smirked.

"Not yet. I have flashes of memory from time to time. I remember some past incidents." I sighed.

"Do you remember your relationship with Carlos Manoso?" He inquired.

"Yes." I responded.

"Your entire relationship?" He asked further.

" A lot of it ." I shrugged.

"You're unsure?" He wanted to know.

"I still don't have all of my memories back." I admitted.

"So you went to the Morelli house to have lunch, correct?" He asked.

"Yes." I nodded.

"And you brought your bodyguard?" He asked.

"I brought my husband." I glared.

"You asked him to go right? You said he was invited by you. Is that how it happened?" He tilted his head.

"Well, uhm no. He insisted on coming with me." I was honest.

"Oh did he?" His eyebrows raised.

"He was worried about me, I had a memory of Morelli hurting me." I explained.

"Was it a hot memory? Perhaps a sexual memory?" Dickie asked.

"No, a painful one." I glared.

"Then you sat down at the table for lunch, correct?" He got back to his questions.

"Yes." I nodded.

"And then things got out of hand and Manoso tried to kill you? When he realized he was going to lose you to the better man he just couldn't handle it." Dickie glanced at the jurors.

"No. That's not what happened. During dinner Joe proposed…" I began.

"I didn't ask you to tell us stories." Dickie admonished.

"But..." I felt deflated.

"Just answer the question." The judge ordered.

"Yes, your honor." I nodded at him.

"So Detective Morelli proposed to you?" Dickie asked.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Did he have a ring?" He asked.

"Yes." I nodded again.

"And you told him yes?" Dickie asked.

"No." I shook my head.

"You told him no?" He inquired.

"I asked him to talk to me in the other room." I informed him.

"Wasn't he already talking to you?" He mocked a look of confusion.

"I wanted to tell him 'No' and that I was already married but didn't want to embarrass him in front of his mother and grandmother." I answered.

"How thoughtful." He rolled his eyes. "You wanted to keep Mr. Manoso's rings?"

"Yes." I responded.

"You realized how much they were worth?" He nodded.

"No. I mean they are beautiful but no." I looked down at my hand.

"So the man you have known all of your life, the man you gave your virginity to, one of the most eligible and sought after bachelors in town proposes to you and you tell him what? That the ring he purchased on a cop's salary wasn't good enough for you?" He shook his head.

"No, that's not it at all." I narrowed my eyes.

"What's not it? Did you not give him your virginity?" He held up one hand with his palm up.

"Well, I didn't give it…" I hesitated.

"Are you trying to tell us he raped you? That you didn't want it?" He wanted to know.

"I don't know. I mean I don't think he raped me but I don't know that I really wanted it." I was confused.

"Well if he didn't rape you, it's quite obvious you wanted it." Dickie concluded.

"I didn't go to work that day thinking I would lose my virginity. The truth is that I did have a crush on Joe back then and when he came in and hit on me I was flattered. But I didn't want to have sex with him, he pushed me and it just happened." I breathed out a sigh.

"He pushed you? Physically?" Dickie looked doubtful.

"No." I responded.

"With his words? He pushed with words?" He looked at me like I was ridiculous.

"He can be pushy. He can wear you down." I tried to explain better. "No he didn't physically push me."

"So you did want it?" Dickie pushed.

"I guess so." I shrugged.

"Let's get back to the Morelli house; I don't want to confuse your memories." He smiled.

I glared at him but didn't speak. We were having a stare down and no one wanted to be the first to look away. I needed to calm down. I was supposed to remain in control. I needed to slow down my breathing and relax like Carlson had advised me to do. After a moment of silence he finally continued.

"After you had been confused by the lure of an extravagant ring Mr. Manoso grew angry?" He prompted.

"No." I answered.

"He wasn't angry?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"He was but…" I tried.

"So he was angry? You admit Mr. Manoso was angry with Detective Morelli." Dickie raised his eyebrows.

"Of course he was, Morelli put a gun to my head." I glared.

"Are you sure that's how you remember it?" He questioned.

"I'm sure." I told him.

"Well your memory seems a bit sketchy now days." He shrugged.

"I remember everything that has happened since the accident. Nothing is wrong with my memory for the last month." I insisted.

"So Mr. Manoso was very angry with Detective Morelli and they fought over the gun. Why didn't you get hit when it went off, why was Mr. Manoso aiming for Mrs. Morelli?" Orr questioned.

"I don't think he was aiming for her. I think he was trying to get the gun away from Joe before he shot someone." I explained.

"But someone did get shot and someone died because the gun went off. Doesn't that make him guilty?" Orr probed.

"It makes Joe guilty because he drew his gun. None of this would have happened if he hadn't threatened me with his gun." I clarified as I tried to stare him down.

"There is no proof that he threatened you. Do you deny that Mr. Manoso attacked Detective Morelli and tried to wrestle the gun away?" Orr grilled and I felt like he was trying to trick me.

"No, but he was-" I started when he cut me off.

"I didn't ask his reasoning I just need you to agree that in fact Mr. Manoso attacked Detective Morelli and was trying to get the gun away." Orr forced.

"Well he was but-" I tried to detail what happened.

"Did Mr. Manoso attack Detective Morelli and try to take his gun from him." Orr persisted.

"Yes because-" I attempted again.

"No more questions your honor." Orr finished.

************************************THANK YOU*****************************

Thank you so much Michelle for the reviews that always motivate me and lift me up. 

Thank you so much to every single reviewer. I am so humbled and honored that you are enjoying my story and taking the time to not just read it but to leave some words of enjoyment and motivation.

Thank you so much Jenn for pushing me when I get stuck.

Thanks to everyone for your patience. I have not forgotten the PI/Stalker and I promise she will remember the wedding and someone will go to jail. Hang in there please


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28-

Carlson moved to his feet. "We have no questions for Mrs. Manoso at this time."

The judge dismissed me and I slowly made my way back to my seat beside Hector. I felt a mixture of anger, sadness and frustration. Most of all I just felt numb. I was disappointed in myself for allowing Dickie to rile me up. I was disappointed that Carlson didn't give me the chance to fix things. I guess he was really mad at me, maybe even worried I had ruined the case. I glanced at Hector when he took my hand in his. He gave me a tight lipped smile and I tried my best to return it.

I let my mind wander as the prosecution called up a police officer I didn't know but remembered he was there the day of the shooting. The officer gave a summary of events once he responded to the scene. A light flashed in front of my eyes and I was launched into a memory. Lula was examining purses, a purple one to be exact.

" _Are you sure this is an authentic Brahmin bag?" She asked._

" _I have it on good authority these are the real deal." The man said. "And just for you I'm only charging ten bucks. How could you go wrong?"_

 _Lula slung the bag over her shoulder to take it for a test drive, and a giraffe loped past us. It continued on down the road turning at Sixteenth Street and disappearing into the darkness._

" _I didn't see that." Lula said._

" _I didn't see that either." The man said. "You want to buy this handbag or what?"_

Another flash and I saw Lula in the Bonds office handing me a print out on giraffes.

" _How could the giraffe not come up? We got a giraffe in Trenton. It's practically a miracle. And it's not like he's some plain-ass horse or cow. A giraffe's special. It's the tallest animal. It's taller than an elephant. A giraffe can get to be nineteen feet tall. And his legs could be six foot. Did you know that?" She asked me._

" _No I didn't know that."_

" _A giraffe can run thirty-five miles an hour, and they could weigh twenty-eight hundred pounds. And here's the best part; he got a tongue could measure twenty-one inches. Bet Mrs. Giraffe likes that one." Lula continued._

" _That's a big tongue."_

" _Freak in A. In the wild a giraffe lives about twenty-five years, but I think running around Trenton could shorten a giraffe's lifespan. I'm worried about poor Kevin." She pouted._

" _Who's Kevin?" I asked._

" _The giraffe. I named him Kevin." Lula finished as I shook my head._

A flash of light again.

 _Ranger and I were standing in a dark alley. He was very close, I saw his eyes focus on my mouth and I knew he was going to kiss me. I leaned into him and his attention went from my mouth to something at the end of the block._

" _I just saw a giraffe." Ranger said. "He was walking down Freeman."_

" _That's Kevin"_

 _Ranger grinned. "You know him?"_

" _I've seen him around."_

My eyes shot open and I couldn't help but grin. I watched as the judge dismissed the police officer. I sat back and relaxed. It was a comfort to see another memory of mine. I wondered why I didn't see so much of Morelli in my memories. If we had known each other so long you would think I had many more memories of him. It had seemed I only remembered the bad times with him. I wondered why my mind chose to focus on particular memories and people.

"The Prosecution rests your honor." I heard Cox announce.

I blew out a deep breath. Finally! Now Carlson would have a chance to defend Carlos and show them all who Morelli really is. The judge announced a break and we all stood as he departed. Hector moved out of the row and I followed behind him.

"Stephanie." My mother called.

I ignored her and kept walking.

"Stephanie Plum!" Angie called louder.

I took Hector's hand and continued walking with him without looking back. I had nothing to say to these awful women.

"Cupcake." Morelli's voice was next.

It took everything I had not to turn around and glare at him. I wanted to walk right back to him and slap his face. How could he lie and put everyone through all of this? Even if Ranger was found guilty did he really think I would come back to him? He called for me again and I turned to find myself face to face with Ranger. He leaned down and kissed my nose before moving up beside me. His arm encircled my waist and he steered me towards the door. I blocked out the mutterings of my mother, Angie and especially Morelli. I felt the dire need for escape. It was as if I couldn't breathe.

"I screwed up." I half whispered as I fell into a chair.

Ranger moved in beside me as we all gathered around the conference table.

"You did fine." Carlson assured me as he closed the door.

"Were you in the same room?" I asked him.

"It went how I expected. You will get your chance again. Remember that was their chance to show their cards. We haven't even begun yet." Carlson winked at me.

"But…" I tried to argue.

"I assure you Stephanie; everything went just as I had planned." Carlson poured himself some water.

"So what can we expect next?" Ranger asked him.

"We have testimony from Officer Gazarra coming up as well as both of the forensic experts. I have one of Carlos' superiors from the Army coming in, the psychologist and of course the two of you." He smiled.

"Why Gazarra?" I asked.

"He is the most unbiased of all the cops from the Trenton PD and he was one of the first cops at the crime scene. Plus he personally took your story. It is important that he got your version of Joe putting the gun to your head right away and he saw firsthand the half-moon bruise on your forehead." He sat down.

"But he is related to me. Won't that make him a bad witness?" I wondered.

"The fact that he is related to you is irrelevant to his testimony of what he saw that day and his testimony about Morelli." Carlson explained.

"The forensic experts will disprove Angie and Morelli's story." I suggested.

"Yes. The evidence they have is irrefutable." Carlson nodded.

"Which one of my superiors will be testifying?" Carlos asked him.

"General Anders." He answered.

"What will he say?" I wondered.

"He will attest to Carlos' character and how he reacts under stressful situations." Carlson pulled out his yellow legal pad to study some notes.

"Then I will get a chance to redeem myself?" I hoped.

"You'll get your chance." He looked up and smiled to reassure me.

"Who will take the stand next?" Carlos asked him.

Carlson lifted up a page and read. "Connie Rizzoli."

"Why the hell are you calling her?" I was stunned.

"To prove Morelli was looking for information on where you would be so that he could blindside you. Reinforcing the idea that you were avoiding him and getting another eye witness to him grabbing you." Carlson explained without looking up.

I hadn't noticed but Carlos had gotten up from his seat and made his way to me. He stood beside me for a few seconds before holding out his hand. I reached out for him and he pulled me to my feet. He wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me into him. I immediately melted against him and soaked in the touch of his warm breath against my neck. He squeezed me tight and then eased off as his hands rubbed up and down my back in a calming rhythm.

"It's all going to be okay Babe. We have the truth on our side and there is no need to worry." He reassured me.

"I just don't want to lose you." I felt my eyes water.

"You could never lose me." He promised.

He pulled back and placed a light kiss on my forehead. "I love you."

I sniffled as I tried to hold back the tears. "Maybe if I just agreed to meet with Morelli, if I told him there was a chance for us, he would change his testimony."

"No Stephanie." His face tightened.

"I want to protect you." I explained.

"Do you honestly think I would let him anywhere near you again? Especially alone?" He inquired.

"I just want to help." A tear fell from my right eye.

"You are helping." He reached out to catch the tear.

"I need to do more." I sniffled again.

"Not by sacrificing yourself, do you have any idea what that would do to me?" He shook his head.

"Do you have any idea what it would do to me if you went to jail?" I fired back.

"We could still have conjugal visits." A smile slowly crept across his face.

"Carlos." I whined as I playfully punched his arm.

"Time to get back in there." Carlson announced.

I looked over Carlos' shoulder to find him standing by the door, pad in hand. Ranger stepped back and took my hand back in his. He pulled me behind him as he led me towards the door. We followed Carlson into the hallway and headed back towards the courtroom. When we entered Joe, Angie and my mother were already back in their seats. Morelli watched us as Ranger brought me back to my seat. He kissed my hand before pulling away to follow Carlson around through the swinging doors. Once he was settled in his seat he turned around and met me with a blinding reassuring smile.

I forced myself to return his smile and let it drop again once he had turned around. Hector took my hand in his and pulled it onto his leg as our fingers laced together. I gave him a smile and he returned it, both of ours a little forced. We stood when the judge came in and sat when he ordered us to do so.

Carlson began with his opening statement. He stood and walked before the jury turning to face them with a serious expression.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury." He turned to the pulpit, "Your Honor. We are grateful you are here today to discern the truth. Truth they say can be very subjective. Even a matter of opinion. But truth in this case is lined with cold hard facts. There were four people in that room who know what happened. A police officer who could lose his badge and go to jail for telling the truth. A good Catholic woman who would ruin her only 'good and decent son' if she told the truth. A man that did what he had to do to protect the woman he loves. A woman who, was just trying to be nice and do the honorable thing and tell an ex-boyfriend that it was over for good in person instead of giving him a Dear John phone call or worse a text.

They each have very compelling reasons to give their own versions of what they want to believe because they can't believe the truth about what really happened.

So what really happened? That is the question. Basically you had a man, who is desperately in love with what was a quickie in High School. He has carried that flame for seventeen years. So it is burning bright in his heart. But the reality of the relationship is that they just aren't compatible and they constantly break up. He can't see that they aren't compatible and is getting frustrated and angry that she won't do what he wants her to do and so he begins getting physically violent. There are three instances of physical violence that Stephanie Manoso now remembers took place before she finally called it off and went on her vacation to Hawaii by herself. Three more since coming back.

It is one of those bouts of violence that brings us all here. Mr. Manoso was proud to be married to Stephanie Manoso, but instead of being able to come home and show her off. She was shaken and unsure of herself, her life and her lack of memories. She had nearly been killed twice and there was still a hit out on her life. She came back to Trenton determined to learn about herself and reclaim her memories and her life. But this all started in Hawaii.

Stephanie left her abusive boyfriend behind and decided to have a fun trip in Hawaii. Once in Hawaii she saw an FTA worth $150,000 cash if she could catch him. That's a lot of money. You have to have special paperwork to arrest a skip in another state and have permission to transport them restrained on an airplane. Stephanie does not have the right authorization. Ranger, Carlos Manoso does. So she called him and he came to help her catch this skip, who was charged with several counts of murder, and was a very dangerous man. Mr. Manoso jumped on the next available flight. As her mentor he felt compelled to help her and as her friend he was worried about her.

Once he arrived in Hawaii Stephanie confided in him that she had finally called it off permanently with Joe Morelli. The truth is that Mr. Manoso has been in love with Stephanie for years but he had done his best to keep her at arm's length. He wanted her to have a chance with Joe and often took her back to Joe and repeatedly encouraged her to repair her relationship with Joe. He thought Joe was the right guy for her and he wasn't, so he relegated his own love for her to the back burner and focused on what he thought would make her happy. There is the saying 'If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you it's yours. If it doesn't it never was.' He loved her enough to let her go and even push her towards the life he thought would make her happy. In Hawaii she came back to him. She admitted she loved him and had for a while. Finally they really fell in love, got a marriage certificate and went through a vow renewal ceremony that legally bound them as husband and wife.

But then Joe showed up, interrupting their honeymoon and started a fistfight with Carlos. Stephanie got upset and ran away using a car that had its brake lines cut, causing a devastating Accident that took all of her memories. She woke up in the hospital not remembering anything and Joe was there telling her he was her fiancé, and that she wasn't actually married to Mr. Manoso. Needless to say she became very confused. So when she came back to Trenton she stayed with a friend as she waited for her memories to return and they returned slowly. The memories she was having of Joe were all bad so she kept avoiding him. He seemed too controlling and abusive right from the start and she knew that wasn't what she wanted in her life. Carlos started taking her out on dates and as she got to know him again she knew this was the man she loved and wanted in her life.

So she moved back in with her husband and she knew she was with the right man. She was still avoiding Joe because he seemed too pushy and honestly she did love him, just not as much as she loved Carlos and with the memories she had of him abusing her she knew she could never be with Joe. But she felt after three years Joe deserved more than a phone call. She wanted to tell him in person that she was legally married and that she had chosen Carlos.

She went to lunch at his mother's house with the plan of letting him down gently and he shocked her by proposing. Now understand in three years of them being together he had never gotten a ring and never proposed so she was not expecting this. She also didn't know he was on a medication that was making him emotionally unstable, angry or violent.

So he proposes, she says she is married and is not going to be with him. He crumbles to his knees upset and being the good caring woman that she is she tries to comfort him. Consoling him by promising he will find the right woman but that isn't her. He pulls his gun and puts it to her forehead. Demanding she marry him and she gets upset, saying she is already married. Well as soon as he pulled his weapon Carlos is up on his feet and slowly approaching. But things are escalating.

Even Mrs. Morelli tries to talk some sense into her son to get him to drop the gun, but he doesn't listen to his own mother. He is obviously out of control and no one can get through to him. Things come to a head when he says 'If I can't have her No one will.' Afraid for her life Carlos knocks Joe's arm away from her head, grabs him around the neck and drags him away from Stephanie. Joe realizing he is losing her raises his arm again to shoot her. Carlos seeing the gun come up grabs Joes arm and starts to bring it around to pin it behind his back. But as soon as he starts bringing Joe's arm around the gun goes off. The gunshot meant to kill Stephanie hits mother instead.

Carlos knows Joe is completely out of control and out of his mind and he cuffs him with his own cuffs and calls 911. Stephanie, when she realizes what is going on rushes to help Angie and stems the flow of blood and keeps pressure on the wound while Carlos makes sure an ambulance is on the way. The reality of the situation is that if it weren't for Stephanie taking care of Angie and Carlos calling 911; Angie probably wouldn't be here today. She most likely would have died right there in her own dining room at the hands of her son. The truth is that Joseph Morelli is guilty of the attempted murder of Stephanie Manoso and attempted manslaughter of his own mother as a result of the bullet he meant for Stephanie. "

Carlson paused to walk slowly towards the jury before he leaned slightly against the railing as if he were about to tell them a secret.

Over the next two days you will hear from several character witnesses that will tell you about the man that Carlos Manoso is. A well respected business man and a US Army veteran.

I am going to call two forensic specialists one from the Trenton Police Department and Mr. Kamaceck who will both testify what really happened. You will hear testimony from a psychologist that has tested Stephanie and found that all of her memories since the accident are accurate and the memories she has recovered are real memories.

Then you will hear from Carlos and Stephanie. You will get to hear their love story for yourselves. Then you will hear about this most traumatic day from both of them. Are you all ready?" I watched him look over the jury. I wasn't sure who or what he was looking for but he nodded his head and said. "Let us begin. Your honor I would like to call Connie Rizolli to the stand.

Connie had been sitting on the other side of the aisle behind Morelli and my mother and I felt myself groan out a giant sigh. I turned to watch her walk up the aisle. She sent me a smirk as she sashayed by. She was wearing a tight form fitting royal blue dress with matching four inch pumps.

She took her seat and jutted her chest out. Her dress was low cut and showed off her obvious double D assets. She swore to tell the truth and stated her name. Carlson smiled when he greeted her and then began his questions.

"Can you tell us where you work Ms. Rizzoli?" He began.

"Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, been there since he opened. I'm the office manager." She bragged.

"Are you familiar with Carlos Manoso?" He continued.

"Do I have a pulse?" She laughed. "Everyone knows who Ranger is."

"What do you think of him?" Carlson wanted to know.

"He's hot." She smiled as she glanced at him. "He's the best bounty hunter in the state for sure."

"And what's he like as a person? Tell us about your interactions with him." Carlson moved closer to Connie but didn't crowd her.

"He's quiet." She shrugged. "A little intimidating."

"Have you ever seen him be violent or lose his temper?" He asked.

"I don't know what he does on the streets. Rumors say…" She began.

Carlson cut her off. "I am much more interested in your opinion and your direct interactions with him. I understand you are a pretty good judge of character."

Connie smiled. "I like to think so. Ranger? No, I've never seen him lose his cool. He speaks only when he has to and he's always in control."

"And what about Mr. Morelli? Do you know him?" Carlson pressed

"Of course." She rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows the Italian Stallion, especially the ladies if you know what I mean."

"Did you personally get a chance to know him that way?" He asked her.

"A good girl never talks about such things." She noted.

"But you are under oath Ms. Rizzoli." He reminded. "Can you please tell us if you had a relationship with Detective Morelli?"

"Yeah." She shrugged. "We hung out a couple of times."

"And his personality? What is he like?" Carlson wanted to know.

"Hot. He is a passionate Italian man." She looked off like she was remembering something. "He's experienced if you know what I mean."

"Experienced in what?" He was curious.

"He's got that hot Italian blood rushing through his veins." She smiled.

"Is he a gentle lover?" Carlson asked.

"Objection." Cox stood.

"Overruled." The judge stated evenly.

"Is he a gentle lover?" Carlson repeated.

"Hell no." She snorted out a laugh. "It's all heat and passion with that man."

"Heat and passion? Like animalistic?" Carlson tried to get her to elaborate.

"Oh yeah. I am talking against walls and hair pulling. It can get a little rough but it's hot." She smirked.

"Did Detective Morelli ever ask you to inform him about Mrs. Manoso's whereabouts?" He asked.

"Mrs. Manoso?" Connie looked confused.

"Stephanie Manoso." Carlson affirmed.

Connie laughed. "Yeah he wanted me to let him know where she was going for lunch. He was worried about her and wanted to talk to her. He's a good man, she is lucky he looks out for her."

"Have you ever heard him yell at her?" he pried.

"Of course. She was always putting herself in dangerous situations just so she could see how high Ranger or Joe would jump for her. Some women use their looks and some women like to play damsel in distress." She rolled her eyes.

"So then Mr. Manoso yelled at her also?" He inquired.

"No." She laughed. "Ranger is far too controlled for that. He doesn't really let his emotions show. Come to think about it he probably sucks in the bedroom, but he's still nice to look at."

A couple of the jury members laughed along with a few bystanders.

"He's not as passionate as Morelli?" Carlson wanted to know.

"No way. You could hear Joe yelling at Steph from miles away. Shaking those strong arms around. Showing off his muscles. It was like any moment he was going to slam her up against a wall and take her right there. It was hot." She rubbed a hand against her neck.

"Sounds pretty hardcore." Carlson noted.

"Definitely." Connie smirked again.

"Tell me about Detective Morelli asking you to watch out for Mrs. Manoso." Carlson suggested.

She waved her hand dismissively. "He just wanted to see her. Ranger had been hiding her away and Joe wanted the chance to talk to her and check on her."

"So you told him you would be at Pino's having lunch?" He asked.

"No." She shook her head. "He suggested it. It wasn't hard getting Steph to go out to lunch at Pino's. It used to be one of her favorite places to eat. She may have lost her memory but her appetite was still going strong. You can tell she likes to eat."

I frowned at her as she glanced at me. Was I that big that everyone thought I ate all of the time?

"So you took her?" He asked.

"Of course. I would do anything for Joe, he's a good guy." She noted.

"And he had a chance to see her and check on her?" Carlson asked.

"Leading." Cox jumped to her feet.

"Rephrase." The judge ordered.

"Was he able to make it to Pino's?" Carlson asked.

"Yeah." Connie answered.

"What did he do?" He asked her.

She shrugged. "His mom was there and she was talking to Stephanie and then he came in and talked to her next."

"Did you hear what they were talking about?" He asked.

"No, but Stephanie was being stubborn and Joe deserved the chance to speak to her. They were going to get married, everyone knew it. Then she comes back to Jersey with a sham marriage and pretending like she doesn't know anybody. She always had this attitude like she was too good for her friends in the Burg. She looked down on women that got married and chose to stay home and raise their babies." She rolled her eyes.

"Did they have a long discussion?" He wanted to know.

"She tried to walk away a few times, so disrespectful. Joe just wanted a few minutes of her precious time." She shook her head.

"What did he do when she tried to walk away?" Carlson asked.

"He just held her in place so she would listen." Connie noted.

"How?" He asked.

"What do you mean how?" Connie looked confused.

"How did he keep her in place?" He inquired.

She shrugged. "He just held onto her arms. No big deal."

"What did her face look like?" He wanted to know.

"Oh please. She's such a drama queen. 'Oh Joe let me go'." She mocked me.

"I see. What did you think of this?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes. "She's a complainer. She had a good man and now she wants to play like he is the bad guy? Passion oozes from this fine Italian man and she is lucky that he is into her at all. Though why he likes her I don't really know."

"Thank you for your time and candor." Carlson smiled and made his way back to the seat.

Dickie sprung to his feet and fastened a button on his suit jacket before he approached the stand. He gave Connie a slight nod before approaching her.

"Good afternoon Ms. Rizzoli." He greeted her.

"Dickie." She nodded as several people laughed.

"Can you tell us your opinion on Stephanie?" He asked.

Carlson moved to his feet and Dickie glanced over his shoulder.

"Mrs. Manoso." He corrected himself.

"She can't make a decision about anything. One moment she's boinking Morelli and the next she is in an ally with Ranger making out like teenagers." She shook her head.

"Would you say she is a loose woman?" He asked.

"Objection." Carlson stood.

"Rephrase." The judge ordered.

"How would you describe her character?" He tried again.

"She's a slut playing around with two men at once." Connie snickered.

"Have you ever seen Detective Morelli get violent with her?" Dickie asked.

"No." She shook her head. "You need to understand Italian passion. It's like Italian men have a higher testosterone level than other men. It's hot and sexy. What woman doesn't love a forceful man in control?"

"Is Detective Morelli considered a good catch?" He asked her.

She huffed out a laugh. "He is considered THE catch of the Burg. Any woman would kill to have a chance with him."

"Thank you Ms. Rizzoli. I have no further questions." Dickie smirked all the way back to his seat.

"We have nothing further." Carson announced.

The judge dismissed Connie and again she swung her hips as she passed me. She glanced at Morelli and he gave her a big bright smile while she winked at him. It made my stomach turn and for the millionth time I wondered what I ever saw in him. I also wondered why he even bothered with me when it seemed he could have any of the local women. I let out a breath as she finally left the court room.

Carson called up the Trenton PD forensic examiner, Charles Baggard next and spent a great deal of time laying out what happened in Angie's house. He brought up a giant display of the Morelli dining room and had the expert painfully explain everything in the three dimensional diagram that looked like a high school science project. It was two foot by two foot on the bottom and one foot tall. It had a mockup of the table, all the chairs and blank faced plaster characters where all of us were in the dining room. He explained exactly where Mrs. Morelli was when she got hit, and where the shell casing was found and where exactly the gun had to be when it was fired. He said it was a miracle she was alive and explained that he had poured over the statements we gave when each of us were arrested. Of all the reports he said that Mr. Manoso's report most accurately describe circumstances that would have the gun in the right place and right angle for the gunshot that hit Mrs. Morelli. Cox objected repeatedly only to be shot down each time by the judge. I wondered how much of the testimony had gone over the jury's head because I was bored within minutes.

Mrs. Cox stood to cross examine him but his answers to her questions only made him more believable as he stated how many years he has been a forensic examiner for the Trenton Police and how many cases he has worked on. She asked him how many cases he had been wrong about during his time working with the force, his response was none. He explained that at times he listed the results as inconclusive when he couldn't come to what he believed an accurate account of the scene of the crime. She seemed exasperated when she was done and he stepped down as a witness.

Next Carlson called Jason Kamaceck to the stand. He was a private forensic specialist who wheeled in a big table with a computer and large monitor. He had a clicky device that he pointed at the computer as he talked.

"Mr. Kamaceck please explain what we are looking at." Carlson started.

"On the monitor is a three-D display of the Morelli dining room and everything in it to size. Here is the gun in red at the time it was fired. Here is Mrs. Morelli's location at the time the gun was fired. Here is Mrs. Manoso's location during the confrontation. No one is disputing where the women were." Kamaceck explained.

"Here is a simulation of Mr. Manoso's testimony." We saw two three-D men, one kneeling, and one grabbing him from behind, dragging him backwards. The kneeling guy raises his arm to shoulder level and the standing guy grabs the arm and starts moving it around and the picture froze. I gasped as it matched up perfectly with where the gun was.

"As you can see the gun in Mr. Morelli's hand perfectly lines up with where the gun was when it was fired." Kamaceck displayed. Wow now this was a testimony I could listen to and watch. This was entertaining and it was nice to see the men line up exactly with Carlos' testimony. I was actually starting to feel like there was a good chance we would win this thing.

"This next simulation is based on the testimony we heard from the forensic specialist the prosecution introduced…" He began.

"Objection." Cox was on her feet. "How do we know this program is accurate? How could this specialist have put together a scenario based on testimony that was given so recently?"

"It's a computer program, you just enter the information." Carlson spoke quietly.

"Stick to proving your own theories." The judge ordered Carlson.

"Yes your honor." Carlson quickly moved on.

Carlson directed him to show us different scenarios based on our statements that were taken at the scene. He played a simulation of two men fighting over the gun but it didn't match the correct location of the gun. Carlson stood near the witness box but didn't speak letting Mr. Kamaceck go through and explain all of his simulations.

"I mocked up several variations of two men fighting over a gun in that room but none of them matched the gun being where it was when it was fired." We saw several simulations in a row and none of them had the gun in the right place.

"This is the position a standing man would have to be in to be holding the gun in the right location and right angle as it was, when it was fired." Kamaceck illuminated.

He showed the awkward bent over position a standing man would have to be in to have fired the gun.

"That doesn't look very plausible." Carlson supported.

"It's not plausible at all when you figure two guys were fighting over the gun. If I was an officer and someone was trying to get my gun out of my hand I would have been holding it down so that if it fired it wouldn't hit anyone."

"Objection your honor." Cox stood. "He is not a police officer and therefore cannot speak for what an officer is trained to do."

"Your honor it is his honest opinion of the situation and the people involved based on his years of experience in this field."

"But not based on being a police officer. Stick to your level of expertise." The judge warned Kamaceck.

"Mr. Kamacheck can you explain to us about GSR?" Carlson asked the man.

". GSR stands for gunshot residue. When a gun fires the gun powder in the bullet explodes and sprays GSR on everything around it. The crime lab from Trenton police tested both Mr. Morelli's clothes and Mr. Manoso's clothes for GSR. Mr. Morelli's blast pattern," a 3-D image came up on the screen, "Shows darkest at shoulder level proving his hand was about shoulder height when the gun was fired. But what I really want you to pay attention to is the area around his neck where there is no GSR. Proving something was around his neck." Kamaceck expounded.

"Now we have Mr. Manoso." A new picture populated the screen. "You can see that the GSR pattern is heaviest right above his waist going upwards and there is almost no GSR below this line as if something or someone was shielding the lower part of his body. Now when I put the two men together in the positions they were in based on Mr. Manoso's testimony." Kamaceck described.

Several of the jurors gasped as did some of the gallery, including me.

"The blast patterns line up perfectly. Mr. Morelli has no blast pattern around his neck because Mr. Manoso's arm was around his neck and Mr. Manoso has no blast pattern on his lower body because Mr. Morelli's body is in front of him." Kamaceck enlightened.

"Can you show us a simulation?" Carlson asked.

"Objection." Cox sighed. "This computer technology is fallible."

"Everything is fallible. Our expert is displaying the very best scenario he can show us based on his expertise." Carlson argued.

"The witness may continue." The judge ordered.

"Let me play it in simulation with the action that matched the gun's location before. As you can see both men, the gun and the blast pattern line up perfectly in this simulation." Kamaceck finished.

I was blown away by the technology and exciting images that had flashed across the monitor. I was sure the jury would be as captivated by this information as I was. I felt my shoulders begin to lighten as hope spread through me.

"Mr. Kamaceck where did you get the information to mock up these simulations?" Carlson asked.

"All of this information was gathered from the police reports and the crime scene reports." Kamaceck said.

"You never talked to anyone directly about their testimony?" Carlson continued.

"No, until this court case I have never seen the people that were involved in this crime." Kamaceck stated.

Carlson finished with him and had no more questions.

Mrs. Cox tried to cross examine him asking all about his experience and his schooling and specifically about a previous case where he was wrong about the murder. Carlson objected as irrelevant and got it thrown out.

Then it was over for the day and the judge admonished the jurors not to talk about the case to anyone, not to give any interviews, not to look up anything about the case online, on social media, in newspapers and not to watch any of it on the news and to be back in the jury room by 8:30 the next morning.

When the incident first happened there had been some news vans outside the police station waiting for us to be released. It had been big news when the bombshell bounty hunter had been arrested for attempted murder. I knew there were reporters in the gallery and there would be sketches drawn for the six o'clock news and I knew why Carlson ended the day when he did. That was the strongest bit of evidence right there that everyone got to see on the large monitor and that was what the news was going to be talking about.

We all rose for the judge to leave and Carlson told us he would see us tonight in the conference room back at Rangeman. We waited inside the courtroom while Carlos called for our car. Carlos and I were going in and out of the courtroom with a six man intimidation battalion that surrounded us and ushered us to and from our SUV. As we stepped outside I could barely see through the black sentinels that surrounded us but I got a glimpse of a crowd of cameras and reporters. Tank and Cal led our group and it was like the sea parting letting us through with ease.

There were even a few hopeful reporters waiting on the steps of Haywood as we seamlessly glided past them to the underground garage. Carlos took my hand and I was surprised it was still so early in the evening. I was hungry. I needed a tastycake and as I told this to Carlos in the elevator he smiled down on me. He knew after an emotional day in the courtroom I would need something. Ella had chocolate cake waiting for me up on seven. We all wanted this over with and I wanted to go back to normal life with Carlos and work on regaining more of my memories.

After my cake we met Carlson in the conference room.

"Great job Spenser." Carlos shook his hand.

"That was an amazing job today." I told him as I shook his hand and we all sat down. "Angie lied her ass off, but you did a good job cross examining her. My testimony sucked but the forensic specialist was amazing."

He nodded. "That was a big thing that helped our case. But don't discount Angie's testimony all of their lying helped our case. The more different stories they told the more obvious it becomes that they are all lying to protect themselves." Carlson said.

"Jason was amazing." Carlos said. "Whatever you are paying him I want to double it."

"We'll just pay him his normal fees for now and then when the case is over you can send him a bonus. We don't want to make it look like you paid him extra to make up the facts that fit your testimony." Carlson clarified.

"Didn't you?" Carlos said.

"Actually he just did his job. He got all of the information he needed from the TPD crime lab and your statements. I'm sure he could have come up with more scenarios where part of Joe or Angie's story could have made sense, but I instructed him to just cover the facts and disproving the lies." Carlson expounded.

"I know. With all their made up stories it is going to be easy to tell the truth." I said.

"Do you both still want to testify? This is the main thing I came to discuss with you tonight. After Jason's show I almost felt like I could close testimony. But I promised them your romantic tale and I don't want to keep you from testifying if you really want to." Carlson questioned.

Carlos looked at me and I nodded.

"I want to testify." Carlos said. "There have been so many lies in this case I want to speak for myself."

"Me too. I want to testify and get help Carlos off." I declared.

"Stephanie, I was mostly thinking of you. The DA is going to want to shred your memories that you have had and make everyone doubt you. Even with the psychologist's testimony. It is going to leave doubt about anything you say and the DA is going to slam you the hardest, just like he did today. He is going to try to make you recant something, or doubt something. They are going to bring in your whole past, every car that has blown up. Every apprehension that has gone wrong. Every time you did something that made the news and you can't remember most of it. So they are going to say your memory of this event is faulty too. If you want my advice I think it's best if you don't testify." Carlson explained.

"What? Are you kidding me?" I felt the anger build.

"What's going on in your mind?" Carlos calmly asked.

"I want…" I paused. "No. I need to tell my side of what happened. When Dickie had me up there I never got to tell them what really happened or what I really think."

"Dickie will have a chance to cross examine you." Carlson warned.

"That's fine. I know what to expect now." I assured him.

"If that is what you really want and you can withstand the cross examining I will put you back up on the stand." Carlson said.

Carlos squeezed my hand and smiled at me.

"We have a lot of witnesses to get through. My goal is to get through all the little ones and Carlos by lunch time and then after lunch get Morelli back up on the stand." Carlson said to Carlos.

"Do you really want to get Joe back on the stand?" I questioned.

"Aren't you concerned that this will look like a case against Morelli rather than defending me?" Carlos asked him.

"I am just creating reasonable doubt. It's the state's job to prosecute Morelli once you are found innocent."

"That will be hard for them to do after this. They will have lost their credibility." Carlos realized.

"Unfortunately that's probably true." Carlson agreed

"But he's lying." I argued.

"Yes he is lying and I am going to prove it and pin him down with testimony he can't escape from."

"Won't that make him go ballistic?" I wondered out loud.

"I am hoping to bring out some of his Italian passion for the jury to see. I am hoping to wrap up by early afternoon so by tomorrow night you will be a free man." Carlson smiled at us.

"And we can both put all of this behind us." Carlos said.

"And Angie and Joe can put all of this behind them." I said wanting this nightmare to be truly over.

"Actually, this is just starting for Joe. There has already been an AI investigation into the shooting and Joe has been on unpaid administrative leave. After the proof I showed today and the testimony that is going to come tomorrow, even if official charges aren't brought against Joe; he will probably lose his job." Carlson clarified.

"Why wouldn't charges be brought against Joe?" I asked curious.

"We left her picture out of the list of women but Joe has been warming Mrs. Cox's bed for a few weeks. We have photographs to show multiple late-night meetings." Carlson informed me.

"What did I ever see in that man?" I shook my head.

"He was a good cop." Carlos reminded me.

"We need to focus on you two right now. I have a list of questions I will be asking you and some follow ups I think Cox or Dickie will have. I need you two to go over them and then we can go through them." Carlson explained.

"Then what? Do you have any surprise witnesses?" I was curious.

"I might just have a thing or two up my sleeve." Carlson winked at me.

*************************THANK YOU**********************************

Thank you so much for your patience. I greatly appreciate you all with your reviews and waiting for the next chapter.

Special thanks to my BETA Jenn who always motivates me and gives me gentle taps when I am taking too long.

I love this story and am letting it lead me to the end on its own legs.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29-

 _I was walking down the aisle headed towards Carlos. Looking at his handsome face nearly knocked me off my feet. His eyes spoke volumes. I could see so many feelings reflected in his deep brown eyes. Love. Respect. Loyalty. Lust. Desire. I felt a smile slide across my face as his mouth tipped up until he was displaying his full two hundred watt grin. I kept walking towards him, nearly running as I sped up my pace._

 _When I reached the end I realized another man had been standing beside Carlos the whole time. I turned behind me and a beautiful woman was walking towards us. When I saw her face I knew. This was Amanda and she was marrying Ranger's friend Kinsey. We were to provide them security and I was playing Maid of Honor. I wasn't the bride, I wasn't marrying Carlos. He didn't want me because he doesn't do relationships._

"Estefania." Hector's voice broke through my reflection.

"Sorry." I said without even knowing why.

"You were squeezing my hand hard. Are you okay?" He whispered in my ear.

"I'm fine." I pulled my hand from his and patted his leg.

The pain I felt in my heart made me physically shake as I felt the chill move through my body. I had been in love with Ranger, in love with him since the beginning. I hadn't admitted it to myself or to him. I couldn't remember saying 'I love you' to anyone over the last few years, not even to members of my family. I remembered times that Morelli or Ranger had said it to me, but never straight on until recently.

I looked around the courtroom as I tried to reclaim my footing to where I was and what was going on. Morelli was watching me, his eyes had such a sharp and penetrating look it gave me goosebumps. Of course his mother and mine bookended him. All of the same Burg gossips were around. Several Rangeman and a few people I didn't recognize at all. I focused on the stand and realized Eddie Gazzara had just been sworn in and stated his name as Carlson walked towards him.

"Officer Gazzara how long have you been a member of the Trenton Police Department?" Carlson asked him.

"Almost fifteen years." He admitted.

"Have you ever worked personally with Detective Morelli?" He was asked next.

Gazzara shrugged. "Of course. We started off as beat cops together."

"You were partners?" Carlson wanted to know.

"No. We just worked the same shifts. When he moved up to vice we still came across each other from time to time. My particular area of assignment is the Chambersburg section of Trenton, it's a small place."

"And you live there as well?" Carlson wanted to know.

"My whole life, born and raised." Gazzara smiled.

"And Detective Morelli? He's from there also?" Carlson asked.

"Yes. Like I said it's a small town." He shrugged. "Not really even an official town it's just a section of Trenton."

"Did you know Mrs. Manoso or Detective Morelli growing up?" he inquired.

"We didn't hang out in the same circles but I knew of them. We went to the same High School." Gazzara admitted.

"What did you know of them?" Our lawyer inquired.

"Stephanie was a tomboy, a bit of a rebel. She didn't date much, from what I could tell she mostly just hung out with a classmate of hers." He thought for a moment. "Mary Lou"

"And Detective Morelli?" Carlson prompted.

Gazzara rolled his eyes. "He was well known by reputation."

"What type of reputation?" Carlson inquired.

"Objection." Cox rose. "Speculative. Is Officer Gazzara on the stand to talk about childhood indiscretions?"

"Just trying to understand the relationships and interactions between everyone involved." Carlson looked at the judge.

"Let's focus on the case before us and leave the past where it belongs." The judge informed Carlson. "Objection Sustained."

Carlson nodded and moved away from Gazzara. He slowly but methodically moved towards the table. He shuffled through a couple of papers and I used the time to glance around. The room was mostly silent except for a few whispers from the observers in the room. I watched my mom pat Joe's hand and whisper words that appeared to be filled with encouragement. When I looked at his face again his eyes were penetrating through me. I quickly looked away; I really had a deep fear of him. That feeling made me uncomfortable and embarrassed at the same time.

"Can you describe the scene when you answered the call for help at the Morelli house?" Carlson asked.

"When I got there it was chaos. The ambulance was already there and I wasn't the first officer on the scene so I didn't really know what I was walking in to. I was only told there was a shot fired." Eddie explained.

"What did you encounter when you arrived?" Carlson wanted to know.

"I saw Stephanie sitting on the front porch of the Morelli house." He explained.

"What did she look like?" He asked

"She was a mess. Her hands were covered in blood. She was shaking like a leaf." He gently shook his head.

"What did she say to you?" Carlson slowly moved towards the jury.

"At first she was making no sense, she was talking about all of the blood and she was worried about Angie. I tried to calm her down so she would be able to tell me what happened." Gazzara explained.

"Were you able to do that?" Carlson glanced at the jury.

"After a couple of minutes yes. I assured her that Angie was in good hands and the nurses and doctors at the hospital would take care of her. Soon Stephanie started to explain what had happened. She said she had some memories of Joe being violent with her so she didn't want to meet him alone. She told me Morelli held a gun to her head." Gazzara answered.

"A gun to her head?" Carlson leaned near the jury.

"Yeah. She lifted her bangs and there was a crescent sized shape on her head. It was red and looked like it was bruising. Obviously something had been pressed against it." He blew out a breath.

"Did you take a picture of it?" He glanced at the jury before he asked the question.

"I wish I had moved faster." He sighed. "She was trying to tell me what happened. She told me that Morelli had the gun to her head and was threatening to kill her. She told me he had the gun when it went off and hit Angie. She was still talking when Officer Gaspick approached us to arrest Stephanie."

Carlson looked surprised. "Weren't you the one interviewing her?"

"Yes. I was assigned to take her statement but Gaspick said he had orders from Detective Hawley." Eddie explained. "I felt like my hands were tied. I am sure the mark on her forehead was from a gun, my best guess would be a nine millimeter."

"Who asked him to guess?" Dickie jumped up.

Carlson shrugged. "Just asking for his opinion of events."

The judge nodded to Carlson and motioned for Dickie to sit back down.

"What type of gun does Detective Morelli carry?" Carlson asked.

"A nine millimeter, standard issue for Trenton PD." Gazzara explained.

"And who was in charge of the case?" Carlson asked.

"Detective Hawley was in charge of the scene." Eddie informed him.

"Hmm" Carlson thought. "This is the first time I am hearing about Detective Hawley. I wonder why he wasn't called to testify."

"He's on the run." Gazzara announced.

"On the run?" Carlson wanted clarification.

"He was put on administrative leave for tampering with evidence and poppng positive on a drug test. He disappeared and no one knows where he is." Gazzara elaborated.

"Doesn't sound like a good guy to me." Carlson remarked.

"Objection." Cox jumped up. "Mr. Carlson is not on the stand. No one wants to hear his opinion."

"Sustained." The judge glanced at Carlson. "Let the witness make the statements."

"Yes your honor." Carlson nodded before turning back to Eddie. "Did you think Hawley was a good cop?"

"No. I couldn't stand him. He was shady and always stepping out of line, pushing things a bit too far." Eddie told him.

"And Officer Gaspick? What do you think of him?" Carlson remained close to the jury.

"He's a rookie. He doesn't know how things work. He gives out traffic tickets to people going one mile over the limit." Gazzara cracked a grin.

"We've all done that." Several jurors nodded along with Carlson. "Why did he ticket these folks?"

"Power trip. The guy like the power of the badge." Eddie shrugged. "some cops get like that."

"Did Detective Morelli get like that? Did he like the power of the badge?" Carlson inquired.

"Objection." Cox muttered as she slowly rose.

"I'm just asking for his opinion." Carlson held up both of his hands palms out.

"Overruled. You may answer the question Officer." The judge nodded.

"He had his moments." Eddie shrugged.

"He did?" Carlson asked.

"Look." Eddie paused. "Joe was a great cop, he was the best of the Morelli men and then well I don't really know. I don't know what happened or what changed him."

"How did he change?" Carlson inquired.

"He wasn't himself anymore. It was around the time Eddie Abruzzi committed suicide." He shook his head. "At the time I assumed he was upset because someone was torturing Steph. Leaving snakes at her doorstep and threatening her."

"So you think that bothered him?" Carlson crossed his arms as he leaned back.

"Yeah of course it bothered him to see his girlfriend going through that. She had a guy cut in half and placed on her couch." Eddie blew out an exasperated breath.

"Was Detective Morelli acting different?" Carlson tilted his head.

"Yeah he was crazy. Ranger stepped up to help watch over and protect Stephanie. They both got a lot closer then." Eddie answered.

"Who got closer?" Carlson asked.

"Ranger and Stephanie." He shrugged. "He was mentoring her, he helped her become a better bounty hunter."

"It has been stated that she was a disaster." Carlson informed him.

"Nah." Eddie shook his head. "She has great intuition and she never gives up. When she gets too close to busting someone who has committed a major crime they try to take her out."

"Take her out?" Carlson again looked at the jury.

"Kill her, remove her. But she had Ranger and he always came to the rescue." Gazzara gave a small smile.

"And the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Manoso during her case when Eddie Abruzzi was threatening her got closer." Carlson reminded.

"Yes." Gazzara nodded.

Suddenly the light bulb clicked for me. Carlson was pinpointing Morelli's attitude to line up with Ranger becoming a bigger part of my life. So far Carlson was getting across all of his points and facts without suggesting anything and without attacking anyone. He was starting to look like the good sensible lawyer. I finally saw what he was doing and it made sense. I glanced over at the jury and realized many of them were watching Carlson for his reaction and when he nodded a couple of the men nodded along with him. It was as if he had convinced them he was on the other side of the wall and was simply one of them.

"That's tough I guess." Carlson nodded.

"Yeah." Eddie smirked. "No one wants a guy like Ranger around your girlfriend so much."

"Would Ranger let her get hurt?" Carlson looked confused.

"No. Never." Eddie shook his head.

"Then why wouldn't a guy want her around him?" He tilted his head.

"Because he's Ranger, he so handsome and badass, I mean he's freaking Batman." The courtroom was filled with chuckles.

Carlson was done with Gazzara and dismissed him. Cox rose to her feet.

"Hello Officer Gazzara." She smirked.

"Good afternoon ma'am." He nodded.

"Are you related to Stephanie Plum?" She asked him.

Carlson cleared his throat and let out a heavy sigh.

"Excuse me Stephanie Manoso." She corrected herself.

"Not directly. I am married to her cousin Shirley." He informed her.

"I would consider that related." Cox noted.

"I guess." Gazzara shrugged.

"Officer Gazzara, why aren't you a detective?" She asked him.

"There are no available spots." He explained.

"Did you take the Detective's test?" She asked.

"Yes." He nodded.

"And you passed?" She asked.

"Yes." He nodded again.

"Who has the highest seniority for the next available opening?" Cox asked him.

"I do." He answered quickly.

"So, if Detective Morelli was let go you would move up to Detective?" She asked.

"I guess so." He agreed.

"No further questions." She smiled.

She strutted back to her seat and the smile remained plastered to her face. I felt bad for Eddie because she was trying to make him look like a liar. I expelled a deep breath while I watched him step down and slowly move across the courtroom. He walked out the heavy wooden door and the judge turned his attention to Carlson. I was anxious to see who would be called next. I wanted my turn to be up there again. I wanted a chance to redeem myself and stand up for Ranger.

"I'd like to call Lieutenant Luca Romano to the stand." Carlson announced.

Several heads turned as Luca pushed through the door. He wore a blank face as he walked towards the stand. He was wearing a dark blue suit that set off his emerald eyes. He looked incredibly handsome with his brown hair slicked back; he was definitely in cop mode. He took his seat and straightened his tie before looking over at Carlson. The room was silent as Carlson walked from behind the table and made his way towards Luca.

"Could you state your name for the court please?" Carlson asked him.

"Luca Romano" He answered.

"What do you do for a living?" Carlson moved towards the jury.

"I am a lieutenant for the New York City Police Department." He stated.

"How do you know Mrs. Manoso?" He asked.

"We met in Hawaii. I was her neighbor at the resort she was staying in." He continued.

"And you went to her bungalow to borrow some sugar?" Carlson suggested as chuckles could be heard.

"Not exactly." Luca smiled. "I noticed someone sneaking around the bungalow where she was staying. I went over to check it out and a man had broken inside and had a gun trained on her."

"That sounds scary." Carlson's hand went to his chest.

"She was trying to remain composed. I found out later it was the skip she was trying to capture." Luca informed us.

"Simon Ruguzzi?" Carlson asked.

"Yeah." Luca nodded.

"Did he escape?" Carlson was curious.

"No. The police and Ranger's men were able to work together to turn him in once I had him incapacitated." Luca glanced at Ranger.

"What did you think of Mrs. Manoso when you met her?" Carlson asked.

Luca smiled. "You could tell right away she was a genuine person, one of those compassionate heart type people."

"What brought you to that conclusion?" Carlson asked him.

Luca shrugged. "Call it instincts. I like to think I'm pretty good at reading people.

"Have you seen Mrs. Manoso since your initial meeting?" Carlson continued.

"Yes a couple of weeks ago." He affirmed.

"What happened?" Carlson wanted to know.

"She called me to come and pick her up. She needed a friend." Luca glanced my way.

"Where did you take her?" Carlson leaned against the jury wall again.

"I took her to my house." He answered.

"Alone?" Carlson looked curious.

"No. My daughter was there." Luca corrected him.

"Do you know Detective Morelli?" Carlson glanced at the jury.

"I met him." Luca nodded.

"When?" Carlson wanted to know.

"He came to my home while Stephanie was there." He responded.

"What made him come to your house?" Carlson's eyebrows drew together.

"He stated that he used her cell phone to track her down." Luca noted.

"Objection." Cox stood. "Where's the proof?"

"He doesn't need any, he is testifying to what he heard directly from Detective Morelli." Carlson held both hands out palm up.

"Overruled." The judge told Mrs. Cox.

"So he came to your home looking for Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson went back to questioning Luca.

"He told me he was looking for her as part of a police investigation." He gave his head a slight shake.

"What was the investigation about?" Carlson looked confused.

"There was none. He was trying to use his badge to get past me." Luca responded.

"That didn't work with you?" Carlson glanced at the jury.

"No. I offered to show him mine and he backed down." Luca's lips turned up in a slight smile.

"Then what happened?" Carlson looked riveted.

"He told me to fetch her." Now Luca actually smiled.

"Fetch her?" Carlson sounded confused

"Like a dog. He actually ordered me to fetch her." Luca shook his head.

"Then he left?" Carlson wanted to know.

"I asked him to leave but when he didn't I called for backup." Luca recalled.

"Then he left?" Carlson repeated.

"I went inside and could hear him on the porch. Eventually he left. But I am pretty sure he was hanging out nearby. A while later Mr. Manoso came to pick up Stephanie." Luca explained.

"And they left together?" Carlson wanted to know.

"Someone shot at his car but yes they both got out of there safely." He nodded.

"There were gun shots?" Carlson's mouth dropped open in shock.

"The driver's side window was shot up. It's an active investigation. I can't comment further." Luca sighed.

"So did you ever let Detective Morelli in? Even though he showed you his badge?" Carlson wondered.

"Not a chance. He even tried to play the Italian card. He tried to get me to go along with him and do what he wanted. He said 'from one Italian to another'" He shook his head.

"You're Italian?" Carlson leaned forward.

"Yes." Luca affirmed.

"Have you ever heard of Italian passion?" Carlson stepped towards Luca.

"No." Luca looked confused.

"No? It's supposedly well known." Carlson tilted his head.

"I've never heard of it." Luca told him.

"Well, maybe you have the signs since you're Italian." Carlson suggested. "Do you get angry easily?"

"No. That wouldn't be conductive to my job." Luca informed him.

"Do you find yourself grabbing someone you care about so hard you leave bruises behind? Maybe yelling and screaming when someone you love is in danger?" Carlson suggested.

"No." Luca responded.

"Objection. He's no expert." Cox announced.

"He's Italian." Carlson shrugged.

"You introduced it." The judge shook his head at Cox. "Overruled."

"So you never heard of Italian passion?" Carlson looked confused.

"No. It sounds ridiculous." Luca nearly rolled his eyes.

"Apparently it's very well known in Chambersburg." Carlson shrugged.

"Well, I've never heard of it. I would never put my hands on a woman in anger or hurt a woman in any way." Luca vowed.

"Thank you Lieutenant." Carlson nodded before he headed back to his seat.

Dickie jumped to his feet. "Did you put your hands on Stephanie?"

"No." Luca looked annoyed.

"Didn't she spend the night in your home?" Dickie smirked as he moved forward.

"Yes she did." Luca nodded.

"Where was your wife?" Dickie inquired.

"She passed away." Luca leveled a glare on him.

"I see. So as far as Stephanie spending the night in your home, where did she sleep?" Dickie glanced at the jury.

"In the guest room with my daughter. They had a sleep over." Luca noted.

"A what? Your daughter?" Dickie was surprised.

"Yes. My daughter got her sleeping bag and slept next to Stephanie in the bed." Luca smiled.

"That's hard to believe considering her reputation." Dickie smirked.

"I can assure you our relationship is strictly platonic." Luca told him.

"Detective Romano…" Dickie began.

"Lieutenant." Carlson reminded him.

"Excuse me. Lieutenant Romano…" Dickie straightened his tie. "Why did Stephanie come to your house?"

"She called me and I picked her up. She needed a break." He explained.

"A break? From her husband? Was she afraid of him?" Dickie wanted to know.

"No." Luca huffed out a laugh. "She just needed a break from the pressure of trying to remember everything."

Dickie's face fell. He was clearly disappointed. "Tell me again where did she sleep?"

"As I said, she slept in my daughter's room with her. The only unusual thing about her visit was Morelli stopping by." Luca glanced at Morelli.

"It's not very unusual for a man to seek out his fiancée when she is shacked up with another man." Dickie looked smug.

"Or maybe with you she was trying to make new memories." Dickie suggested.

"You're right..." Luca began.

Dickie snapped his head to look at Luca and a huge smile spread across his face. He walked towards Luca and leaned in. He was obviously waiting to hear something juicy.

"She made new memories. She had a great time with her friend and his daughter going to Coney Island. She was stalked and threatened by her ex-boyfriend and had someone shoot at her." Luca smiled.

"Oh." Dickie paused. "No further questions."

Dickie slumped back to the table and plopped into his chair. Luca was dismissed and I noticed a couple of women in the jury checking him out as he made his way out of the courtroom. He was an incredibly good looking man. I smiled to myself. Things were looking very good for us now. I watched Carlson as he looked down at his notes. I glanced over at the prosecution's table and Cox was shuffling through her papers while Dickie watched her. Carlson slowly rose to his feet.

"I'd like to call General Anders to the stand." He announced.

Heads turned as the door to the courtroom was pushed open. The presence of the man who walked through it immediately forced me to straighten up in my seat. This man oozed authority and demanded respect with every step. He wasn't tall and he wasn't particularly built, but there was something dangerous and alluring by the way he carried himself. He was wearing a dark green formal uniform with six rows of the colorful bars that are awarded to dedicated soldiers throughout their time in the service and the two stars denoting his general status, with his hat tucked under his arm, his salt and pepper hair was cut short, his brown eyes focused straight ahead. He pushed aside the low swinging doors and made his way to his seat.

"Good morning Sir thank you for coming to testify for us in this case." Carlson said once the General was settled.

"It is my pleasure to come defend such a great soldier."

"I have asked you here today to give testimony of Captain Manoso and what he is like under pressure. Can you start by helping us understand what his rank was in the Army and what his duties entailed?"

"Manoso is a Captain. Meaning he was in charge of his unit, a position that fit him well as he was a natural leader. Manoso was good at logistics he could figure out a way to accomplish any task given to him quickly and efficiently with minimal danger. Being in charge of his team meant being responsible for their safety, a position he took very seriously."

"And can you tell us what kind of jobs his team was called to perform?"

"No I cannot." The General answered.

"Why is that?" Carlson glanced at the jury.

"From the time he became an Army Ranger everything that was done is classified for the government."

"You say he was an Army Ranger can you tell us what that entails?" Carlson moved towards the jury.

"An Army Ranger is the best the Army has to offer. They are all officers, all taught to lead and be in charge and then they go through the most grueling physical training known to man. It is harder than the Navy Seals. It lasts over two months. The soldiers average 3 to 4 hours of sleep a night and they are expected to perform at a level of peak performance at all times. The average participant loses about 25 to 30 pounds of weight during this time. It is meant to be both physically and psychologically taxing and only the best or about 30 percent of the men that apply and start training actually get their Ranger Tab."

"Can you tell us what kind of Army Ranger Captain Manoso was?"

"Is. An Army Ranger is something you are forever." The General scolded Carlson.

"My apologies." Carlson gave a slight bow. "Can you describe to us the kind of Army Ranger Captain Manoso is?"

The General nodded. "Many people may use the term 'best of the best', those are words I don't use lightly. I have been lucky to spend a great portion of my career surrounded by a lot of the best men. Captain Manoso was the best of the best of the best. The Army Ranger motto is Ranger's Lead the Way and he exemplified this motto. He was the man to live up to and everyone under him aspired to be like him. Anyone who had the honor to work with him wanted to be half as good as Captain Manoso. His name was very well known in our ranks."

"Are Army Ranger's under a lot of pressure?"

"They are routinely in very stressful situations where their life and the lives of their men are in danger. In fact they willingly lead the way in dangerous and stressful situations. They are tested and trained to handle the worst kinds of stressful situations including being taken captive and tortured."

"How would you say Captain Manoso handles stressful situations?"

"Captain Manoso is a master of control, the definition of cool and calm under pressure. There was no assignment he couldn't complete, and for that reason he was often given the most dangerous missions. The so-called suicide missions." The General admitted.

"Suicide missions?" Carlson's eyes grew wide.

I watched him again as he glanced at the jury before focusing back on the General. It finally clicked in my head when a few members of the jury returned Carlson's glance with wide eyes. He had made himself one of them. Carlson had turned the jury into a group of peers and pushed his way into the mix. He sounded and looked as confused and interested as they did. He leaned against the short wall as close as he could to the juror's box without sitting beside them.

"A suicide mission is one that needs to be accomplished but thought impossible without loss of life for all that participate." The General's words broke through my thoughts.

"And soldiers willingly go on these missions?" Carlson sounded shocked.

General Anders shook his head. "No most soldiers are unwilling to accept such assignments."

"But Captain Manoso was?" Carlson asked.

The General nodded. "Captain Manoso always was."

"He must have faced a lot of difficult situations." Carlson assumed.

The General chuckled. "That's stating it mildly."

"Capture?" Carlson inquired.

"Yes." The General responded.

"Torture?" Carlson asked.

"Yes." The General nodded

"Being faced with someone pointing a gun at him would not stop him then." Carlson stated.

"No he has faced guns being pointed at him hundreds of times and still carried out his mission."

"Having someone threaten him with a gun wouldn't phase him?" Carlson questioned.

"The Captain is well trained, I would think having a gun pointed at him is small compared to the dangers he has been challenged with."

"Would you say that he would only attack if he or a loved one was threatened?" Carlson raised an eyebrow.

"I could easily say that he would only attack if that was the only alternative to a bad situation." The General gave one nod.

"Would you say he would keep his head about him in such a situation?" Carlson moved forward.

"I would say that he always keeps his head about him." The General glanced at Carlos.

"On the day in question there is testimony that he lost control. It's being said that he attacked a police officer and threatened his very own wife. It's been stated here that he went for the Officer's gun. Is there anything in his behavior in the past that leads you to believe he would attack someone and try to take their gun?" Carlson moved towards the General.

"First of all I want to congratulate him on his marriage. I am sure Captain Manoso is always armed therefore he wouldn't need to take anyone's gun. Manoso has been trained in lethal combat and can kill with his bare hands he doesn't need to take anyone's gun." The General noted.

"Have you ever seen Captain Manoso go after someone holding a gun on him?" Carlson stopped right in front of the General.

"The only time I have ever seen him attack anyone was to save another person's life. We had an incident on a base where a man with mental issues had decided he would kill his commanding officer. The young soldier entered the main building to head straight for his Captain's office. Captain Manoso just happened to be exiting the exact same building. Their paths crossed in the hallway as I was leaving my office for the day. Captain Manoso stopped dead in his tracks and immediately engaged the confused soldier in conversation. I noticed the soldier kept his hand on the gun at his side. Before I could react the soldier trained his gun on Manoso. The Captain had the soldier subdued and relieved of his weapon in mere seconds. He saved an untold number of lives that day." The General finished.

"That's quite a story." Carlson shook his head in surprise.

"Just stating the facts." The General informed him.

"Are there any final words you would like to add to your testimony in this case?" Carlson moved back towards the table where Carlos sat.

"I would like to say that I knew these charges were false as soon as I heard about them. If the situation was true and the woman he loved was going to leave him for another man, he would let her go. He is trained to keep his emotions in check. Under no circumstances would he go off halfcocked and attack the person he loved or the man of her desires. At the end of the day if he couldn't change her mind he would say 'C'est la Vie' and move on with his life. He is not going to waste his time on someone that doesn't want to be with him. My final words are that Captain Manoso is one of the finest men I have ever had the pleasure to serve with and the best damn Army Ranger we had. We could use a hundred more like him."

"Thank you for your testimony." Carlson finished.

Mrs. Cox approached the witness stand and started her questions.

"You stated that Captain Manoso has been well trained?" She inquired.

"Very." The General agreed.

"He is trained to kill?" She suggested.

"He is trained to defend our country." General Anders corrected.

"So he's a killing machine?" She asked.

"Objection." Carlson jumped to his feet.

"Sustained." The judge nodded. "Rephrase and tread lightly."

"Manoso was trained to kill people. That was his primary purpose?" She corrected her question.

"His primary purpose is to protect our country." General Anders corrected her.

"By any means possible?" She asked.

"Sometimes." He agreed.

"And you were trained the same?" She wanted to know.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Would you say you are brothers in arms?" She inquired.

"Yes." He nodded again.

"Always have each other's backs?" She pushed.

"Yes, it's imperative. The men must be able to perform without having to worry about the other men in their platoon." He informed her.

"And you would do anything for your comrades?" She moved towards the jury with a smug look on her face.

"Of course." He agreed.

"Does that mean you would lie for Manoso?" She smirked.

"No." He quickly responded.

"You would do anything for each other but you wouldn't lie?" She huffed out a laugh. "You expect us to believe that?"

"I don't expect you to believe anything. I can only tell you the truth." He leaned back in the chair.

"The truth? Have you ever lied for one of your men?" She asked him. "It doesn't sound like Army Rangers are the most ethical soldiers around."

"Objection, calling the man's reputation into question without proof is unacceptable and disrespectful." Carlson sounded angry for the first time in this case.

"Sustained." The judged glared at Cox." I should remind you that the General is a highly decorated member of our armed forces and should be treated with respect."

"Yes your honor." She huffed out a breath before she spoke again. "No more questions."

The judge turned to face General Anders. "I would like to thank you for your time General. It is a great honor to have someone like you in my courtroom considering your busy schedule."

"Always happy to do what I can to make sure the truth comes out." The General nodded.

The General was dismissed and the room was silent in respect as the man stood from the chair and moved towards the short doors of the courtroom. He stopped at the table where Carlos sat and suddenly Carlos was on his feet. The men saluted each other and then shook hands before the General took his leave. I felt a tear gather in the corner of my eye. I was in awe of the situation, in awe of these two strong men who had given up so much for their country. My country, the men who kept me safe and provided me with my freedom. Carlson's next words jostled me out of my thoughts.

"Your honor I would like to call Detective Joseph Morelli back to the stand." Carlson announced.

He turned around and glanced his way. Morelli got to his feet and patted his pants to straighten them out. He took a deep breath and glanced at me before he headed to the stand. He was reminded that he was still under oath and he took the seat. Carlson slowly moved around the table and smiled as he moved towards Morelli. He nodded to him and stopped a few feet from him.

"Good afternoon Detective." Carlson greeted him.

"Afternoon." Morelli mumbled with a forced smile.

"Thank you so much for making time to speak to us today." Carlson moved towards the jury.

"I am anxious for all of this to be over with." Morelli admitted.

"I'm sure we all are." Carlson agreed.

"Can we get on with it?" Morelli asked.

"Oh of course." Carlson nodded.

I watched as he leaned against the wall that the jury sat behind. He glanced at them before he began.

"What were you thinking when you proposed to Stephanie Manoso at your mother's house?" He asked him.

"I proposed to Stephanie Plum." Morelli glared.

"I hate to correct you Detective but her name is Stephanie Manoso." Carlson looked innocent.

"Her name is Stephanie Plum but you can call her Manoso all day long. You can tell the world that her marriage to Manoso is real, but deep down we all know it's a sham." Morelli looked smug.

Carlson glanced my way. "Well, I can't help but notice Mrs. Manoso is sitting in the courtroom behind her husband."

"She still hasn't regained her memory. She can't be held responsible for the things she says and does right now." He glanced my way and I immediately looked away.

"Let's move on." Carlson told him. "Tell me about Hawaii."

"What about it." Morelli whipped his head back to Carlson.

"You went there? As a surprise?" Carlson asked.

"Yes. Stephanie had invited me but I had work and wasn't able to go. I felt bad that she was there alone, so I got a couple of days off to fly out there. I hadn't expected Manoso to move in on her and take advantage of her during the case they were working on." Morelli shot a look to Ranger.

"Then what happened?" Carlson acted like he was a teenage girl juicy for gossip.

Morelli shrugged. "Who knows what ploys he used to talk her into his bed. I wasn't upset with Stephanie, she always comes back to me."

"Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson asked.

"Ms. Plum." Morelli sounded out each word.

"You weren't upset to find your girlfriend Stephanie Manoso in another man's company?" Carlson pressed forward.

"I was upset to find my fiancée Stephanie Plum cajoled and tricked into sex by the reckless thug." Morelli glared at everyone in general.

"We just heard testimony that Captain Manoso is a decorated man of honor." Carlson informed him.

Morelli laughed. "Sure we did."

"Are you calling the General a liar?" Carlson looked surprised.

"I'm saying that military men cover each other's backs." He looked smug.

"Kind of like police officers?" Carson suggested.

"We look out for our own, but we don't defend someone who has broken the law." Morelli informed him.

"Yes, you're right. Officer Gazzara is a prime example of that." Carlson agreed.

"Objection." Cox was on her feet. "Where's the question?"

"Get to it." The judge ordered.

"Yes your honor." Carlson nodded. "Why did you allow Stephanie Manoso around Mr. Manoso if you thought so poorly of him?" "I warned Stephanie time and again about getting involved with the thug but he forced his way into her life." Morelli shook his head.

"How?" Carlson was back to leaning against the juror's box.

"He gave her fake jobs when she needed money. He steered her into assignments that put her in danger so he could save her. He worked hard at making her feel indebted to him." Morelli noted.

"And still Mrs. Manoso chose to be around her husband?" Carlson glanced at the jurors.

"Stephanie Plum was naïve." Morelli glared at Carlson.

"I'm sorry but her name is now Stephanie Manoso." Carlson looked apologetic.

"You can call her Manoso all you want but her name is Stephanie Plum. My fiancée Stephanie Plum." Morelli growled.

"She's Mr. Manoso's wife, not your fiancée." Carlson corrected him.

"I refuse to feed into this crap." Morelli told him.

"It's her legal name." Carlson looked apologetic once again.

"It's a lie." Morelli confirmed.

"Why did you propose to someone else's wife?" Carlson asked

"I proposed to my girlfriend." Morelli corrected.

"Well now I'm confused. Was Stephanie Manoso your fiancée or girlfriend?" Carlson asked.

"Stephanie Plum was my girlfriend and we had plans to marry." Morelli enlightened him.

"But she married someone else? She chose to become Stephanie Manoso." Carlson asked.

"She was taken advantage of." Morelli shook his head.

"Like you took advantage of her when she was sixteen?" Carlson stepped away from the jury.

"I have never taken advantage of her." Morelli looked stricken.

"That's not how Mrs. Manoso remembers it." Carlson informed him.

"Lies fed to her by Manoso, she doesn't remember how things really were. He's had weeks to work on her memory. Weeks to tell her lies about me." Morelli shot Ranger a look of hatred.

"But yet Mrs. Manoso chooses to stand by her husband. Mrs. Manoso chose to be with him over you. Mrs. Manoso chose to stay married to Carlos. Mrs. Manoso told you no when you proposed. Isn't that right." Carlson moved close to Morelli.

Morelli sucked in a breath. "Her name is Stephanie Plum. Get that in your head. Her name is Stephanie fucking Plum and when she does change it her name will be Stephanie Morelli."

"Objection. Language." Carlson looked at the judge.

"Remember to watch your mouth. Foul language will not be tolerated in my courtroom." The judge admonished Morelli.

Morelli's lips tightened as he nodded at the judge.

"Do you understand that Stephanie has already legally changed her last name to Manoso? Do you understand that she has chosen to keep the vows she exchanged with Carlos Manoso? Do you understand the court has ordered you to address her by her legal name? You are to use her full legal name when you speak about her? Do you understand that?" Carlson asked Morelli.

"Objection. Does Mr. Carlson understand he is supposed to ask one question at a time?" Cox asked.

The judge nodded. "Please wait for an answer before you proceed." He ordered Carlson.

Carlson nodded at the judge before turning back to Morelli. "Do you understand that Mrs. Stephanie Manoso has chosen Carlos Manoso as the better man and married him?"

"Go fuck yourself." Morelli sneered.

**************************THANK YOU*************************

Thank you all for baring with me. I promise I will not leave this story incomplete, it's just taking me a bit longer than usual between chapters.

Thank you to Skye for pushing me to get this chapter out.

Thanks to Jenn my quick working BETA!


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30-

"Mr. Morelli! Do not make me tell you again. I will not tolerate any vulgarity in my courtroom." The Judge spoke through clenched teeth. "You are a Detective for the Trenton PD. Not only does your disrespect for my courtroom reflect on you, it also reflects on them. Get it together."

I watched as Morelli closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.

"Do you need a minute Officer Morelli?" Carlson asked.

"Detective." Morelli corrected through clenched teeth.

"My apologies Detective." Carlson moved towards his spot leaning against the jury railing. "You seem to be upset."

"I am upset." he took a breath. "I am distraught. I am filled with concern and worry."

"What are you worried about?" Carlson looked intrigued.

"Stephanie's safety." Morelli answered.

"I'm sure Mrs. Manoso is doing quite well under her husband's care. Why would you be worried about a happily married woman?"

"Happily married my ass." He ground out.

"Detective Morelli." The judge warned.

"I apologize your honor. My mother being shot and my fiancée being scammed have got me a little upset." Morelli took a deep breath.

"Is that why you are taking medication?" Carlson asked.

"Yes." Morelli nodded.

"To make sure you don't lose your temper?" Carlson questioned.

Morelli settled a glare at him. "No. To alleviate my anxiety. I have problems sleeping because I am distraught knowing my fiancée is being tricked into staying with dangerous people. Anything could happen to her."

"You mean Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson asked.

"Stephanie." Morelli muttered.

"It seems like you're still upset." Carlson looked concerned.

"I'm just very emotional when it comes to Stephanie. We had our whole future planned out." He paused. "And then this thug slithers his way in. He threatens my fiancée and shoots my mother. It's because of him my dear Grandma Bella is dead."

"Mrs. Manoso seems to have altered her plans." Carlson shrugged. "Can you remind us just what exactly happened in your mother's home?"

"Manoso shot my mother. It's that simple." His mouth moved to form a forced frown. "How many times would you like me to repeat it?"

"That's not what the evidence says." Carlson reminded him.

"Who's evidence? He probably paid off the so-called experts who testified for him." Morelli shook his head. "People like Manoso think they are above the law. He is a loose cannon and extremely unpredictable. This is the kind of man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He will lie, steal and cheat to get his way. Well not this time. This time he is going to pay for what he did to me." Morelli coughed. "For what he did to my mother and Grandmother."

"What did he do to you?" Carlson looked confused.

"He uhm well he shot my mother." He rolled his eyes and muttered. "duh"

"Detective Morelli, do you think you're a good cop?" Carlson asked.

"Objection. Relevance." Cox stood.

"You're honor Detective Morelli is a witness in this case and the jury needs to know what kind of person he is and what he was thinking during the incident." Carlson explained.

"I'll allow it." The judge nodded.

Cox huffed out a breath before she plopped back into her seat. Carlson slowly crossed the room and stood in front of Joe.

"So you think you're a good cop?" Carlson asked him.

"Yes." Morelli affirmed.

"Do you think you're a good person?" Carlson questioned.

Morelli shrugged. "I like to think so."

"What's your definition of a good person?" Carlson wanted to know.

"A respected member of society. A man others look up to try to be like. A man with an important career and a good wife who stays home to raise their children." Morelli informed him.

"Does a good man lie?" Carlson crossed towards the jury.

"If he needs to. A good man does whatever it takes to protect his family." Morelli answered.

"Does a good man cheat?" Carlson asked.

"No." Morelli answered.

"Have you ever cheated on Stephanie Manoso?" Carlson inquired.

Morelli hesitated. "We had times when we were off."

"What does that mean? Is this like Friends when Rachel and Ross were on a break?" Carlson smirked while the jury and several members of the courtroom laughed.

"No." Morelli rolled his eyes but did not join the laughter.

"So you cheated?" Carlson pushed.

"I'm human." Morelli stated.

"How many times did you cheat?" Carlson asked.

"I don't know." Morelli answered.

"Let's go over the time frame of your relationship with Mrs. Manoso." Carlson began.

 _There was a flash of light behind my eyes and I squeezed them closed tightly. I was sitting at a desk scribbling on a notebook. I looked down and saw hearts with the initials 'JM + SP' written inside of them. I glanced up when the bell rang and saw Morelli flirting with a blonde girl that looked like a model. They both stood to leave but he looked my way as if he felt my eyes boring into him. He gave me a wink that filled my cheeks with heat before he slung his arm around the blonde and steered her out of the room._

 _Another flash and then I saw Morelli in front of me. He had a sexy smile on his face and he looked hot. He pulled me into his arms and planted a kiss on me that weakened my knees. I melted against him as comfort filtered into my heart and heat went down to my center. He steered me backwards into my bedroom and pushed me onto the bed. He looked down at me admiringly and his face filled with a huge genuine smile before he climbed on top of me._

"Let's break for lunch." The judge snapped me back to the courtroom.

Everyone was dismissed and I stood to follow Hector out into the aisle. Morelli was behind me and grabbed my elbow. I turned to look at him and quickly noticed Ranger standing close behind Morelli.

"What do you want Joe?" I asked him.

"I just want a minute to talk to you. Please." He begged.

"In the hallway." I told him.

I pulled my arm free and placed a hand on Hector's back as I followed him out of the room. When we were through the doors I crossed to the other side of the hall and waited. Hector glanced at me and breathed out a heavy sigh. He stayed on the other side of the hall a few feet down. Morelli exited next and came directly to my side. I watched Ranger leave and move to stand next to Hector. Joe took a deep breath and looked into my eyes. I watched as his eyes moved down to my chest and he smiled.

"You are wearing one of my favorite shirts." His smile spread.

 _I had lights flash before me. Morelli pulling my shirt open in various locations and then I was in his house. I was wearing the exact same black shirt. Morelli was slouched in a chair he had pulled up to the small table. He looked exhausted as he spoke._

 _"Cupcake, I haven't got the energy to stop you. Anyway, maybe if you look slutty enough, Ranger will take up some slack in the bedroom before you make a permanent cripple out of me. Maybe you should wear that shirt with the neckline that lets your boobs hang out."_

My eyes shot open and it was all that I could do to not laugh in his face. I couldn't help the huge grin that spread across my face.

"What was that? Did you remember something?" Joe asked.

"Yes. You didn't have any energy and told me to get Ranger to take up the slack in the bedroom." I held back my laugh.

"It was a joke Cupcake." He shook his head.

"What do you want Joe?" I asked him.

"I am starting to think maybe the whole struggle with the gun might have been an accident. Emotions were high and everyone was acting out of character. Things got out of control fast." He ran a hand through his hair.

"Is that what you're going to say on the stand after lunch?" I asked him excitedly.

"I think so." He nodded.

"You think?" I questioned.

"If you were seated on my side of the courtroom, I think that would help me find the strength to remember better. If you just gave us a chance." He pleaded.

"What?" I took a step back. "You have to be kidding me."

"I'm not. I want a chance. It's not fair to me Cupcake. I deserve a chance to remind you of all the good times we had. Let's end this whole silly court case and just give me a chance, I think I deserve that much after all you've put me through." He reached out and grabbed my arm.

"Mrs. Manoso it's time for lunch." Carlson was at my side.

I glanced at Hector who had his hand on Ranger's forearm. Both of them wore their blank faces but at second glance I saw that Hector's knuckles were white. I studied Ranger's blank face for another second and realized his jaw was clenched. I took a step away from Morelli and Carlson took my elbow gently into his hand and guided me away.

"Think about what I said." Morelli called after me.

Hector closed the door behind us after we entered the small conference room. My knees felt weak and I found the closest chair to fall into. I leaned forward putting my elbows on my knees and I dropped my tired face into my hands. Ranger was squatted beside me and rubbed my back and neck. I could hear Hector pacing and glanced up to see him walking from one big window to the other. Carlson moved across from me and pulled out his chair. After he took his seat he reached for the pitcher of water on the table and poured me a glass. He stood to place it in front of me and then settled down again.

He cleared his throat. "First of all, are you okay?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"Secondly I'd like to know what he said." Carlson continued.

"Basically if I give him a chance he would change his testimony. He would say he remembered the events better." I spoke before I took a sip from the water.

"No." Ranger said before he stood up.

"No?" I was confused.

"No." He confirmed.

"I don't understand." I watched as he pulled out the seat next to me.

"I'd rather go to prison." He stated.

"What? For something you didn't do?" I nearly shouted.

"Yes." His face was blank.

"You'd leave me alone?" I asked.

"Better than with Morelli." He had no emotion.

"But…" I was at a loss for words.

"This isn't something we need to discuss. It's a waste of time." Carlson said before there was a knock at the door.

Everyone's heads snapped towards the door at the same time. Hector walked over to find out who was on the other side. I felt myself let out a sigh of relief when I noticed it was just one of the men in black bringing a plate of sandwiches for us. He set the platter down on the table and I quickly glanced at the sandwiches. I was currently considering whether I wanted roast beef or ham when Ranger's voice cut into my thoughts.

"Watch the door." He ordered his man.

With a short simple nod the man headed for the door. He moved outside into the hallway where I assume he took up post in front of the doors. Ranger's men always followed orders and never talked back. I had already deduced they followed him out of respect rather than fear, although they all seemed to have a healthy dose of fear around the man.

"Stephanie, you need to know we are looking very good. You need to know it's dangerous for you to interfere." Carlson told me.

"What do you mean dangerous?" I asked as I pulled a roast beef sandwich from the platter.

"Let's say you agree. You go and sit on his side and give him a chance…"

"Pretend! Pretend to give him a chance." I grabbed my knife to spread some mayonnaise on the sandwich.

"What if he changes his mind? What if he stays with his story and his lawyer points out that you have moved to Morelli's side of the room. Hell, even if Cox didn't point it out the jury would notice. They would think that his version of events is true and you are now agreeing with him. They would think you lied on the stand and were now changing your testimony. They would think that Carlos is guilty." Carlson explained.

I froze mid spread. "You're right. Damn that was stupid. How could I be so stupid?"

"You're not stupid. You're raw. We are all emotionally raw right now. It's hard to think straight sometimes." Carlos reassured me.

"It's just…" I felt a tear in the corner of my eye.

"It's fine." He rubbed my shoulder and kissed the top of my head.

"I think we're in the final lap now." Carlson began.

"It's almost over?" I asked.

"Yes." He nodded.

We all finished eating in silence. Ranger sitting by my side touching and stroking me every chance he could get as if he was afraid I would disappear. Finally he spoke.

"Stephanie" Uh oh my full name, I know he is always being serious when he calls me by name. "For a long time, I pushed you back to him. I thought he was the better man than me. Thought he could give you a better life. When I realized I was wrong and I gave us a chance I was forced to admit to myself that I was the better man for you. Even with my past and the things I have done in my life I knew that I could treat you like you deserve to be treated. That I could love you better and take better care of you and protect you better than he ever could. If I thought for one second that he would and could take care of you better I would let you go. I would do whatever is right by you. But I know I am the right man for you and I will fight for you, for us until my dying day. If I go to jail over this, promise me you won't go back to him. He has proven how dangerous he is. He has proven that he won't hesitate to hurt you. If you go back to him I would be afraid every day for your safety, for your life. Promise me."

"I will never go back to him." I easily promised. "I don't love him anymore. I never want to have to see him ever again once this is over."

"Thank you." He looked deeply in my eyes easily reading my love for him. "Carlson is doing a great job. Trust in him. He knows what he is doing. He is going to get me off." Ranger sounded confident.

"Of course I am going to get him off." Carlson said smoothly. "He's innocent. Now for my finest moment I am going to trap Morelli in his lies and make him lose control. Stephanie, I need you to sit there and give him a cold hard stare the whole time I am cross-examining him and Carlos I need you to look smug like you have already won and are a free man."

"Sure." I said.

Ranger just nodded to him and smiled at me. "It will all be over by tonight Babe and then we can celebrate."

Ranger took my hand and led me back to the courtroom. He steered me to my seat and Hector who had been following us effortlessly slipped onto the bench in front of me. Ranger gave me a brief kiss and sat me down. He kissed the back of my hand and then moved forward to take his seat. Joe had been sitting in his seat staring daggers at Ranger the whole time.

Once the jurors had been seated and Joe was in the witness stand Carlson approached the bench again.

"Detective Morelli, it is obvious to everyone in the courtroom that Stephanie Manoso and Carlos Manoso are madly in love. How do you expect to convince the jury that she changed her mind and her heart and decided to accept your proposal?" Carlson started.

"Because she did. She said yes to me and Manoso went crazy." Joe responded.

"Very good, she said yes to you. Walk me through exactly what happened. You were down on one knee was Mrs. Manoso sitting or standing?" Carlson pursued.

"She was standing." Joe laid it out.

"And you proposed? What did you say?" Carlson asked him.

"I asked her to reaffirm that she wanted to be my wife." Morelli rolled his eyes.

"You used that word? Reaffirm?" Carlson looked cynical as he moved towards his spot against the jury box.

"Look, I don't remember what I said word for word." Morelli shook his head.

"It wasn't that long ago. I would think you would have a great attention to detail as a police detective, especially since the words came out of your mouth." Carlson challenged.

Morelli forced a smile. "To the best of my memory I said something like 'We've loved each other all of our lives, let's renew our promise to each other and get married."

"That sounds much more romantic." Carlson smiled. "And so she jumped up and down? Did she do that whole squealing thing? Did she break out in tears? Is she an ugly crier?"

Several of the jurors laughed and a smile quickly crossed the judge's face before Morelli answered. "She was upset."

"Upset?" Carlson looked confused and then suddenly enlightened "Oh, she's one of those that looks sad even when she's happy?"

"No, she was upset." Morelli glared.

"Why?" Carlson asked.

"She couldn't take off her rings." Joe answered.

"The rings from Carlos Manoso?" He asked.

"Yes." Morelli nodded.

"The engagement ring and wedding band?" Carlson asked.

"Yes." Morelli nodded.

"Why not?" Carlson looked confused.

"I thought it was because there was a tracker in her rings but that's when she told me she was married." Joe clarified.

"Mrs. Manoso told you she was married? That must have been rather upsetting for you." Carlson gently shook his head.

"It was…" Morelli paused. "Unexpected."

"I can't even imagine the shock you must have felt. What did you do?" Carlson looked concerned. "I told her it was okay that she could get divorced." Joe assured him. "I am a very understanding man when it comes to Stephanie."

"And Mrs. Manoso was overcome with joy and jumped into your arms?" Carlson smiled and clapped his hands together.

"No but she said yes to my proposal." Joe insisted.

"But what happened after Mrs. Manoso said yes is the topic of this inquiry. I need to know exactly what happened next." Carlson pushed.

"She hugged me and looked happy and my mother was taking pictures and Ranger stood up so fast his chair hit the floor." Joe explained.

"And what was the expression on Mr. Manoso's face?" Carlson questioned.

"He was angry." Joe examined.

"Like angry he just lost a poker game?" Carlson asked.

"No." Morelli shook his head. "He was furious."

"What happened next?" Carlson sounded like he was at the edge of his seat.

"He said he was going to kill her." Joe insisted as his voice gained an excited tone.

"Mr. Manoso actually said that out loud?" Carlson kept the conversation moving.

"Yes." Morelli's answer was like rapid fire.

"Mr. Manoso said that he was going to kill Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson probed.

"Yes and he lunged for her." Joe replied.

"Mr. Manoso lunged for Mrs. Manoso." Carlson repeated.

"I was afraid for her life so I pulled my gun and pointed it at him." Joe looked proud of himself.

"So you were protecting Mrs. Manoso from Mr. Manoso?" Carlson clarified.

"Yes." Morelli nodded.

"A true hero." Carlson looked surprised.

"Yes and she was hiding behind me." Joe responded.

"You want us to believe that he could hurt her and Mrs. Manoso was scared of Mr. Manoso." Carlson queried.

"Yes and he tried to grab my gun." Joe insisted.

"How did Mr. Manoso try to grab your gun?" Carlson walked towards him acting interested.

"He grabbed my gun with both his hands and tried to point it at Stephanie." Joe told his story.

"Mrs. Manoso." Carlson corrected. "He tried to point the gun at Stephanie Manoso?"

"Yes but then the gun went off and hit my mother." Joe replied.

"So Mr. Manoso grabbed your gun with both his hands and you were wrestling with him. Where was your other arm? Didn't you use your other hand to knock him away?" Carlson quizzed.

"My arm was pushing Stephanie behind me to protect her." Joe countered.

"Stephanie Manoso?" Carlson corrected again.

"Yes I was pushing Stephanie Plum behind me to protect her." Joe resolved.

"How long from the time you proposed to Stephanie Manoso till the gun went off?" Carlson examined.

"Seconds" Joe responded.

"Seconds, how many seconds were you wrestling with Mr. Manoso?" Carlson probed.

"I said seconds." Joe retorted.

"But how many seconds? Ten seconds, twenty seconds or thirty seconds?" Carlson pushed.

"Three or four seconds." Morelli finally answered.

"Three or four seconds and you have told us exactly what happened?" Carlson clarified.

"Yes"

"What did you do after the gun went off?" Carlson looked worried.

"After the gun went off it was a blur I tried to go to my mom but Manoso was still holding on to me. I think I dropped the gun and he handcuffed me with my own handcuffs." Joe laid it out there.

"You let him, the crazy man that was out of control and going to hurt his wife, handcuff you?" Carlson was disbelieving.

"I think I was in shock after the gun went off. I couldn't believe what had just happened." Joe defended.

"You were in shock? Didn't your police training kick in? Someone was shot and you just stood there and let the dangerous out of control man handcuff you?" Carlson seemed doubtful.

"I don't really remember. I just remember kneeling over my mother and praying that she would survive." Joe admitted.

"And what did he do once he handcuffed you? Did he attack Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson suspected.

"No he called the police." Joe solved.

"So Mr. Manoso handcuffed you and called the police and what did Mrs. Manoso do?" Carlson probed.

"Stephanie went to my mother and tried to stop the bleeding." Joe responded.

"So Stephanie Manoso was trying to help your mother and Mr. Manoso was calling for help." Carlson clarified.

"Yes I think so." Joe answered.

"And suddenly Stephanie Manoso was safe from Mr. Manoso? You didn't feel the need to protect her anymore." Carlson walked to the jury box to make sure they were getting this.

"No I think once the gun went off Ranger came back to himself. He knew he had fucked up and was going to be in trouble." Joe tried to get them to believe him.

"He was going to be in trouble but instead of running he put you in handcuffs and called 911 to get help?" Carlson seemed shocked.

"I guess." Joe was reluctant to discuss this.

"Why didn't he run?" Carlson asked.

"Because he knew he would get caught." Joe insisted.

"So Mr. Manoso knew he was going to get caught and he no longer was trying to attack Mrs. Manoso, instead he took the time to put you in handcuffs. Why did he feel the need to handcuff you if you were trying to protect Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson put it to him.

"He's crazy. There is no saying why he does anything he does." Joe looked at the jury to see if they were following him.

"So Mr. Manoso didn't try to attack Stephanie Manoso." Carlson clarified.

"No"

"Did Mr. Manoso say anything to Mrs. Manoso at all while she was working to save your mother's life?" Carlson pushed.

"No"

"He didn't beg her to come back to him?" Carlson seemed disbelieving.

"No"

"He didn't beg her not to leave him?" Carlson quizzed.

"No"

"Did Mr. Manoso talk to anyone at all?" Carlson detailed.

"He called 911 then he took the gun and did something with it." Joe fulfilled.

"You were handcuffed and Mr. Manoso, that you claim was on an angry crazed warpath to kill his wife had the gun and you didn't do anything?" Carlson doubted.

"I was handcuffed what could I do?" Joe inquired.

"Talk to him? Get in his way? Tell Stephanie Manoso to get the gun away from him?" Carlson questioned.

"Objection" Cox said, "badgering."

"Objection overruled. Keep your questions one at a time." The judge warned.

"The gun went off and instead of securing it safely you dropped it to the floor." Carlson clarified.

"I guess. It wasn't technically in my hands. I only had my hand on his wrist maybe a small section of the barrel. Once the gun went off I wasn't thinking too clearly." Joe was honest probably for the first time I thought.

"Is this a problem you have a lot on the job? Not being able to think too clearly?" Carlson probed.

"No I always have my head in the game." Joe insisted.

"But not this time?" Carlson asked.

"Not this time." Morelli admitted

"So what was different this time?" Carlson asked.

"I was in shock. I couldn't believe he shot my mother and I was worried she was going to die." Joe replied.

"So you let Mr. Manoso cuff you and you didn't fight? Didn't try to get out of the cuffs? Didn't try to protect the woman you love?" Carlson walked back over in front of Morelli and leaned in like he couldn't wait to hear the answer.

"I was focused on my mother." Joe answered.

"So once you no longer had the gun there was no more danger?" Carlson pushed.

"No" Joe was getting angry.

"Explain then why once you were cuffed no one was worried anymore." Carlson examined.

"Ranger knew he was going to jail and he stopped trying to hurt Stephanie." Joe explained.

"Stephanie Manoso?" Carlson corrected.

"Yes"

"He knew he was going to jail and he didn't try to run?" Carlson questioned.

"No he called for help he knew his only chance was if she lived." Joe insisted.

"So why wasn't he over there trying to keep her from bleeding out?" Carlson wondered.

"I don't know. He's crazy. You can't ask me to know what is going on in his head. I can't begin to understand the inner workings of a mercenary. The man has no conscience." Joe was agitated.

"This is your sworn statement, Detective Morelli. This is official. You are saying this is everything, exactly what happened and how it happened." Carlson was trying to pin him down.

"Yes this is exactly what happened." Joe clarified.

"The jury saw photos of bruises on your arm and around your neck. If Mr. Manoso only grabbed your hand that had the gun, when did you get the bruises on your arm and around your neck?" Carlson probed.

"He must have done that after the gun went off when he was trying to cuff me." Joe told his story.

"He wrapped his arm around your neck while trying to cuff you? I've never heard of this maneuver can you explain it to us." Carlson tried to trip him up.

"He karate chopped my arm and grabbed me around the neck probably to make me pass out but I am too strong and didn't pass out." Joe hoped the jury was believing him.

"You are saying that after the gun went off he let go of your hand. You dropped the gun and he karate chopped your arm and then tried to choke you. Were you out of control?" Carlson laid it out.

"No I dropped the gun when he karate chopped my arm. Then he tried to choke me." Joe countered.

"But once he got you subdued and cuffed he was no longer a danger to anyone?" Carlson leaned away like this wasn't believable.

"No but I was too worried about my mother to worry about what he was doing." Joe retorted.

"So you were no longer worried that he was going to attack Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson pushed.

"She was trying to save my mother's life and he knew he was going to jail so he was too worried about that to stop Stephanie from what she was doing." Joe looked at the jury. "Stephanie loves me, she loves my mother, she is part of my family. She stepped in to do what was needed out of her love for me."

"Stephanie Manoso?" Carlson corrected again.

"Stephanie Plum" Joe insisted.

"Mr. Morelli you seem to be having trouble grasping the reality that Stephanie Manoso married Carlos Manoso. Is there a chance that you are having trouble grasping the reality of what really happened that day?" Carlson pinned him down.

"No I know what happened. That crazy man shot my mother and handcuffed me." Joe said pointing at a smirking Ranger. "He brainwashed my fiancée, preying on her when she was at her weakest moment."

"But the entire situation calmed down once you were cuffed." Carlson suggested.

"No. The entire situation calmed when he shot my mother. He must have been in shock to see Stephanie taking care of my mother. This is a clear sign of her love for me and it had to have some effect on him." Morelli looked smug.

"So Mr. Manoso was no longer a threat?" Carlson asked.

"That's bullshit. He is always a danger to everyone around him." Joe retorted. "Especially Stephanie."

"Does he have a history of hurting people around him? Can you give us some examples?" Carlson asked.

"He is always putting Stephanie in danger." Joe insisted.

"How is he putting Stephanie Manoso in danger?" Carlson wondered.

"He takes her out on jobs and puts her in danger." Joe told his side.

"Can you give us one example of when Stephanie Manoso was hurt in his presence?" Carlson pushed.

"In the last year she was kidnapped and thrown off a bridge." Joe stretched.

"In his presence?" Carlson was specific.

"Not exactly." Joe looked down.

"Isn't it true she called him for help. He tracked her to the bridge and he jumped in to save her?" Carlson explained.

"Maybe. I don't know if she called. He is always tracking her like some kind of psycho stalker."

"He risked his life to save Mrs. Manoso and you call him a danger." Carlson distrusted Joe and the jury was raptly following him.

"He is a danger to everyone around him." Joe maintained. "He doesn't care about causalities; he only cares about himself and the mission. He is focused on the money."

"Are you sure the medications you are taking are not interfering with reality?" Carlson suspected.

"I am not delusional!" Joe yelled. "He is a danger!"

"Yet you can't name one time Mr. Manoso hurt Mrs. Manoso or put her in danger." Carlson clarified.

"He's always putting her in danger!" Joe swore.

"Stephanie Manoso?" Carlson corrected.

"Stephanie Plum" Joe insisted.

"Your fiancée?" Carlson doubted.

"Yes my fiancée" Joe clarified.

"Detective Morelli is it a fact that Carlos and Stephanie are married?" Carlson walked back over to face the jury.

"It's a temporary setback. Besides, we still don't know if the marriage is legit." Morelli looked frustrated.

"Is it a fact that you have grabbed her twice and hurt her to the point that there were bruises on her arms for days?" Carlson laid it out there.

"I would never hurt Stephanie." Joe vowed.

"But you did. You did hurt Stephanie Manoso." Carlson informed him

"These medications…" Morelli shook his head. "I love Stephanie."

"Stephanie Manoso?" Carlson specified.

"Yes"

"Is it a fact that Stephanie Manoso was avoiding you after she got back from Hawaii?" Carlson clarified.

"No, Manoso was controlling her." Joe asserted.

"But she avoided all your calls and your texts." Carlson cast doubt on him.

"I told you he was lying to her about me. Manipulating her." Joe claimed.

"Yet when Mrs. Manoso was away from him at Lieutenant Romano's home you tracked her down. Did she talk to you then?" Carlson ventured.

"He wouldn't let her." Joe asserted.

"He who?" Carlson wondered.

"Luca was trying to win her for himself." Joe insisted.

"You think Lieutenant Romano was trying to have a relationship other than friendship with her?" Carlson grilled.

"Of course he was. Any man in his right mind would want to have a relationship with her." Joe persisted.

"Is it a fact that according to Stephanie Manoso, she has never said 'Yes' to your proposal?" Carlson examined.

"No she said 'Yes' to me." Joe contended.

"Detective is there a chance your version of events are not based in reality? That your medications are making you delusional?" Carlson suspected.

"Objection your honor." Cox said.

"Sustained" The judge said.

"Detective Morelli you seem to have an alternate view of the facts of this case. You aren't accepting the facts or people's word as they state them." Carlson shined a light on his actions.

"That's because they are all lying." Joe enforced.

"Let's review the facts as you have stated them. Would that be okay?" Carlson walked back over to face him.

"I guess." Joe agreed.

"So you have seen the marriage certificate proving that Carlos and Stephanie Manoso are husband and wife, but you think their marriage is a lie?" Carlson laid it out there.

"She lost her memory. She doesn't remember me or our relationship." Joe maintained. "How many times do I have to explain it to you?"

"Mrs. Manoso got married before she lost her memory and she has remembered you hitting her and breaking up with you before leaving for Hawaii." Carlson explained.

"You can't trust her memories." Joe contended. "He is supplying her with these memories, they aren't true. These are simply manufactured by him to keep her away from me. He knows if she remembers her love for me and what we had she would walk away from him so fast his head would spin.

"So according to you, you are telling the truth and everyone else is lying. You're the one who is medicated and losing your temper yet it is Mr. Manoso who lost it and attacked you?" Carlson turned to the jury.

"Yes. I am an upstanding citizen, a member of the Trenton Police Department. Manoso is a thug, a mercenary and a loose cannon. You can not believe anything he says." Morelli glared.

"You want us to believe that Mrs. Manoso is really in love with you even though she married Mr. Manoso before she lost her memory? You want us to believe that she was avoiding you since she got back only because her husband kept her away, yet she suddenly said yes to your proposal? So then we should expect her to be sitting on your side of the gallery and looking at you with love in her eyes." Carlson turned around to look at me and all the jury looked at me and I gave Joe my Burg death glare.

"Well…" Joe Stuttered.

"Well, there she is supporting her husband." Carlson informed him.

"She loves me she just doesn't remember." Joe was firm.

I suddenly understood what Carlson was doing. Joe hadn't lost his temper but he was showing the jury over and over that Joe was not in touch with reality and only seeing things from his delusional point of view.

"Lieutenant Romano saved her in Hawaii and he and his daughter are her friends but according to you he kept you away because he wanted to sleep with her? Carlson quizzed.

"Any man would." Joe pressed.

"You have left bruises on Stephanie Manoso three different times yet it is Mr. Manoso who is a danger to her." Carlson pushed.

"He is a thug who can't be trusted." Joe maintained.

"After avoiding you for a week Stephanie Manoso accepted your invitation to lunch and at that lunch even though she was with her husband she agreed to divorce him and marry you." Carlson mistrusted.

"Yes"

"Mr. Manoso who we have heard from his commanding officer is steady and unemotional in his work and in life, lost it and went crazy and tried to kill the wife that he loves." Carlson cast doubt.

"Yes he is a maniac" Joe asserted.

"You pulled your gun to protect Stephanie Manoso from Mr. Manoso." Carlson interrogated.

"He went crazy, we were all in danger." Joe insisted.

"Mr. Manoso, even though he had two guns on his person attacked you to take away your gun?" Carlson queried.

"Yes he grabbed my gun." Joe looked at the jury again.

"Mrs. Manoso was hiding behind you because she feared her husband?" I reached forward and put my hand on Carlos's shoulder to show I supported him and I am not afraid of him. He reached up and put his hand over mine as I noticed some members of the jury glanced our way.

"Yes he was trying to kill her." Joe averred.

"Then the gun went off accidentally and you had no control over it, hitting your mother." Carlson examined.

"Yes, it was because he was grabbing my hand." Joe claimed.

"Then you dropped the gun and he cuffed you." Carlson laid it out.

"He hit my arm and I dropped the gun." Joe swore.

"Then he tried to choke you." Carlson doubted.

"Yes he left bruises on my neck." Joe maintained.

"Then he cuffed you?" Carlson went on facing Joe.

"Yes"

"And once you were cuffed there was no more danger?" Carlson suspected.

"No everyone was focused on my mother." Joe stuck to his story.

"This is how you remember it all?" Carlson asked.

"I told you a million times exactly what I remember. I just want to get this all over with. I want to move forward with my life." Morelli looked down at his feet.

"What are your plans?" Carlson inquired.

"To marry Stephanie Plum?" Morelli looked up at me.

"Stephanie Manoso." Carlson corrected him.

"Steph-a-nie P-lum." Morelli sounded out.

"But she changed it to Stephanie Manoso after she married her husband. She is a married woman and goes by the name Stephanie Manoso now. Ms. Plum legally changed her name to Mrs. Stephanie Manoso. She is a Manoso now." Carlson looked solemn.

"She is Stephanie Plum and the only name she will ever take is Morelli. She will be Stephanie Morelli, mark my word." Morelli glared at Carlson.

"Is that a threat?" Carlson looked surprised.

"It's a promise." Morelli sneered.

"No more questions your honor." Carlson ended and turned away from Joe.

*******************************THANK YOU**********************************

Thank you Misty23y for the great memory!

Thank you to Jenn for the inspirational push.

Thanks to you all for your patience.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

The judge called it a day and we went back to the Penthouse. I was anxious to be with Carlos. I just wanted to spend quiet time with him. I was tired of the constant droning of the court case. I was tired of sitting behind my husband and not being able to be with him.

"How are you?" He asked as he joined me on the couch.

"I'm okay." I nodded.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and I leaned into him. I gave a sigh of content and closed my eyes. I wanted this all to be over. I wanted to start our life together and I wanted my memories back.

"What are you thinking?" Carlos asked me.

"I want to remember more about us." I admitted.

He gave a sigh and I pulled back to look at him. I studied his face and saw a hint of worry. For the first time in a while I realized he looked nervous, almost afraid.

"What's wrong? What are you worried about?" I asked.

He took a deep breath. "I don't want you to remember any more of all the time I wasted pushing you away."

"Remind me what made you change your mind. Remind me what it was that finally made you want a relationship with me." I suggested.

"When you called me to come to Hawaii and help you everything clicked for me. I was on-line booking the ticket before we disconnected our call. I have been trying to find the right time and place, the right way to talk to you. It obviously took me a very long time to be able to have the discussion with you." He began.

"Wow, I'm scared. That's already a lot of words from you that don't involve any information or details about a case." I unconsciously wrapped my arms around myself.

"Then let me get the coffee going because this may be a long night." He got up from the couch.

"Uhm Ranger." I hesitated.

"Make yourself comfortable, I'll bring the coffee." He called out from the kitchen.

 _A light flashed before my eyes. I woke up wrapped in strong arms, resting my head on a warm chest. I didn't have to open my eyes to know who was at my side. There was no doubt in my mind. It wasn't the amazing smell of his shower gel mixed with his body chemistry. It wasn't the heat radiating from his body or the feel of his muscles. It was my heart. My heart knew I was lying with Ranger._

 _As had been our usual routine since we arrived in Hawaii we were up most of the night and slept in the next morning. It felt like I was living a fairy tale. There was no one around to gossip about me, place bets on me or judge me. I felt more relaxed than I had ever felt before._

" _Good morning Babe." Ranger kissed the top of my head._

" _Mmmm" I moaned._

" _Today's the day." He reminded me._

" _Once we catch them I guess we have to head home." My good mood was fading._

" _We can't stay here forever." He told me._

" _Why not?" I asked as I got out of the bed._

" _It's not real life." He told me._

" _It's real to me." I muttered under my breath._

 _I headed towards the bathroom and suddenly he was in front of me, blocking my way. I stared at his chest, refusing to look up. I should have known he would hear me with his super bat hearing. I was sure he felt the need to inform me that this was a job, just another mission. I'd let myself get swept up in the moment and forgot to protect my heart. I thought this was more, I had forgotten it was a job. We had only looked for the Rug the first day. We had spent the rest of our time just being together._

 _We had explored the island, gone out to dinner, gone out dancing and talked. Yes, we had actually talked. He told me about his favorite books and we debated the finer points of To Kill A Mocking Bird. That was the one book that was on both of our favorite lists. The rest of his were biographies and war guides, mine were romances and mysteries. We spent at least a couple of hours on the beach every day. He even made a sand castle with me yesterday. Of course he dismissed it as something he had to do because he wanted to make my castle more accurate. As he built the moat he went on about battles involving castles, moats, arrows and giant pots of boiling fluids used as weapons._

 _His hand on my chin brought me back from my daydreams. He tilted my head up, forcing me to meet his eyes. He tilted his head slightly as if trying to read my face. Then he inhaled deeply, debating what he was going to say. I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear it anyway._

" _What I meant was this is not our home. This is a vacation." He explained._

" _I know. I get it." I pulled away from his grip._

" _Do you?" He asked._

" _Yes. Damn it Ranger. What do you want me to say? We are on a case. It's just another FTA and another distraction. No price blah blah blah. You don't owe me anything emotionally." I rolled my eyes._

" _What? No. We haven't looked for the Rug in days." He seemed confused._

" _Well, today's the day. They will be at a vow renewal ceremony on the beach. I found out yesterday." I informed him._

" _How?" He was curious._

" _When you were on-line working yesterday I went to get a pedicure. Tootie was there talking about it. I called and made reservations." I explained._

" _You didn't tell me." He looked hurt._

" _I know." I stated._

 _I moved around him and went into the bathroom. I closed and locked the door. I knew he could get in if he wanted to. I also knew him hearing the lock would send the message I didn't want him to. This was the first time since he had joined me here that I was mad at him, and it was all my fault. I had no right to be mad at him. I was the one who put myself in this situation. I had asked him to come. I had asked him to pretend and I have not pushed to go after the Rug at all. I did this to myself. I kept a chant going in my mind over and over silently repeating. 'This is just a job.' When I came out of the bathroom in a towel with my newly dried hair I was so focused on my inner chanting I nearly bumped right into Ranger._

" _You've been standing here in front of the door?" I was surprised._

 _He didn't answer me. He just grabbed me and pulled me into his warm hug. He held me silently resting his lips on the top of my head. My mind went blank and the chanting stopped. He gently kissed my hair a few times during our hug. When he pulled away he gave me a tight smile and then went around me to take his shower. I stood there stunned and my mind chanted 'Go get him', but I ignored it._

 _I went to the closet and searched for a sundress to wear. If this was to be our last day I wanted to look sexy and be comfortable at the same time. I noticed a pretty little white dress I hadn't worn yet. I bought it specifically for my trip because it looked so comfortable. I pulled on an incredibly helpful push-up bra along with the matching white panties. The dress was a simple A-line style that would have been strapless if not for the lace that barely covered the top. The lace was see through and added a pretty touch that made the dress look more demure but sexy at the same time._

 _I was standing in front of the mirror trying to wrangle my hair when Ranger came out of the closet. I glanced in the mirror to get a look at what he was wearing. My jaw dropped. He was wearing a white collared shirt that had two buttons opened near his neck. The dip in the shirt showed off the hint of muscles underneath the thin shirt. But it was the rest of his outfit that blew my mind. He was wearing a very light tan suit. The material looked comfortable and relaxed and the jacket was left open._

" _We should blend in well." I gave him a forced smile._

 _He moved across the room and stood behind me._

" _Leave it down." His voice was low._

 _He reached out and dug his hands into the back of my hair. He shook out the bobby pins I had been using to try to make it look presentable._

" _Are you sure?" I asked him._

" _Positive." He smiled at me in the mirror._

 _We left our little bungalow and walked along the beach hand in hand. We didn't speak at all. He allowed me to direct him with hand pulls so I could lead us to the site I had found on the map. There were three couples grouped together waiting next to a white archway. There were lace and flowers laid across the tall wooden arch. I glanced around finding a small table with a woman seated there. She waved us over when my eye caught hers. I was nervous as we moved towards her. She looked friendly enough with her dark hair and eyes. I envied her naturally tan skin that made her smile look so much brighter._

" _Hello! Can I have your last name please?" She asked._

" _Manoso." I half whispered._

" _Ah yes, Carlos and Stephanie." She sounded excited._

 _The woman wrote something down and then turned a paper towards us. She pointed to two separate lines that demanded our signatures as she turned to answer a question from her assistant. I glanced at Ranger and he nodded, so I signed my name and he signed his before he slid the paper back to her._

" _We are just waiting for one more couple." She explained._

 _She gestured for us to join the others near the archway._

" _Should we grab them as soon as they arrive?" Ranger spoke softly._

" _Let's not ruin it for them. We'll apprehend them after." I told him._

" _Babe." He smiled and slowly shook his head._

 _Ranger pulled my hand up to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the top of it. We moved together and a man in a long colorful robe approached us. He was wearing a long white robe with a red piece of fabric draped down from his shoulders. The color looked bright against his naturally tanned skin and dark features. I was in awe of the lei he wore around his neck, it was long and green with baby's breath weaved in between the grass. He had a bible clutched against him._

" _Hello. I'm Father Joshua." He introduced himself._

" _Carlos and Stephanie." Ranger introduced us._

" _Are you ready to renew your vows? To once again promise your love and commitment to each other?" He asked._

 _There was a slight pause and then both Ranger and I answered at the same time._

" _Yes"_

 _Father Joshua smiled. "Please remove your rings and pass them to me."_

 _I transferred the diamond ring to my right hand and slipped off the wedding band and then we passed them to the priest. He placed them on his Bible and said a blessing before he handed them back. He presented Ranger's ring to me and passed mine to him. I clutched the ring in my right hand._

" _Ah, our last couple has joined us." Father Joshua announced as he moved away._

 _We both turned to see the Rug and his wife Tootie waiting at the other end of the archway. We watched as the priest introduced himself to them and instructed them to remove their rings. We stood silently as he performed the same blessing and then handed the rings back. We watched the priest make his way to a riser at the center of the archway._

" _Turn to your partner." He instructed._

 _Ranger and I turned to look at each other. He took both of my hands in his and gazed into my eyes. It felt so real and I wasn't sure if I wanted it to be. Marriage had always scared me before, made me feel the urge to run far far away. Not now though, I wasn't scared and I felt no need to run. I tried not to think about why that was._

" _We are gathered here today because you have chosen to renew your promise to each other. This ceremony represents your commitment and faith in your relationship." The priest began._

 _Commitment? Is that what I wanted with Ranger? Is that what he wanted with me?_

" _Are you sure you want to do this?" Ranger whispered._

 _I nodded without any hesitation and the Priest continued._

" _Gentleman, do you promise to love and cherish your partner? Do you promise to be loyal and faithful for better or for worse? Do you promise to traverse all of life's obstacles as an equal partner? Do you promise to guard their heart and treat your love as the precious miracle that it is? If so please pledge I do to your partner."_

 _I bit down on my lower lip and resisted the urge to close my eyes._

" _I do." Carlos answered._

 _He didn't whisper. He didn't wink. He didn't smile. He looked directly into my eyes and spoke firmly. His blank face wasn't there. His skin was relaxed and his eyes were soft._

" _Ladies, do you promise to love and cherish your partner? Do you promise to be loyal and faithful for better or for worse? Do you promise to traverse all of life's obstacles as an equal partner? Do you promise to guard their heart and treat your love as the precious miracle that it is? If so please pledge I do to your partner."_

" _I do." I nodded once._

 _I said it without hesitation and without thought. He squeezed my hands in his. It didn't seem weird or silly. It was as if it was always meant to be this way, like this was supposed to happen. It was like another natural milestone in my life, like taking my first steps, becoming a teenager, graduating high school, or turning eighteen. It was another little celebration on my road to a healthy and happy life._

" _Gentleman, prepare the ring." The priest ordered._

 _Ranger pulled his right hand away and held the ring between his thumb and forefinger._

" _This ring is presented as a promise. This ceremony reaffirms that your partner is more precious to you today than yesterday, and they will be cherished more tomorrow than they are today. Wear this ring as a symbol of the eternal love you share, a love that transcends all of your yesterdays, all of your todays and all your tomorrows." He paused. "As you slide the ring onto your bride's finger please repeat this promise 'Let this ring be a reminder that I am always by your side and that I will always be a faithful partner to you'."_

 _Ranger looked down at my hand and touched the tip of the ring to my finger. Then he looked back up at me._

" _Let this ring be a reminder that I am always by your side and that I will always be a faithful partner to you." He said as he slid the ring onto my finger._

" _Ladies, prepare the ring." The priest ordered._

 _I looked down at our joined hands and took a deep breath. I pulled my hands away from him and steadied his ring in my right hand. He held out his left hand for me and I took it with my left._

" _This ring is presented as a promise. This ceremony reaffirms that your partner is more precious to you today than yesterday, and they will be cherished more tomorrow than they are today. Wear this ring as a symbol of the eternal love you share, a love that transcends all of your yesterdays, all of your todays and all your tomorrows. As you slide the ring onto your groom's finger please repeat this promise 'Let this ring be a reminder that I am always by your side and that I will always be a faithful partner to you." He repeated the words once again._

 _My hand wasn't shaking as I thought it would. I felt completely relaxed as I set the ring on the tip of his finger. I glanced up at his face and focused on his eyes before I spoke._

" _Let this ring be a reminder that I am always by your side and that I will always be a faithful partner to you." I promised._

 _I looked down and watched my fingers as I slid the ring down his finger. Once it was settled in place Ranger pulled both of my hands into his._

" _By the power vested in me by the state of Hawaii I now pronounce you husband and wife. You have expressed your love to one another through the commitment and promises you have just made. You have kissed a thousand times, maybe more. But today the feeling is new. You have reaffirmed your faith in your love and can now seal that agreement with a kiss. You may kiss your bride." The priest announced._

 _Ranger dropped my hands and used his own to cup my face. He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine once and then twice. On the third touch of our lips they parted together. Our tongues touched in a gentle caress. I felt his hands brush gently against my cheeks as he turned his head to kiss me deeper. My knees grew weak. I moved my hands under his arms and pressed them into his back. Somewhere in the distance I heard a throat clear. I felt Ranger slowly pull away as my brain registered chuckles around us. Our eyes were still focused on each other; our hands didn't break the connection we held from our kiss._

" _Bless this marriage, O God, as they continue their journey down the road of life together. Help them continue to enjoy each other as they did when they first met. Help them realize nothing nor no one is perfect and to look for the good in all things and people including themselves. Help them to respect each other's opinions and beliefs, hopes and dreams, and fears, even though they may not always understand them. Help them to learn from each other and to help each other grow mentally, emotionally and spiritually. But most of all, dear God, help them to keep lit the torch of love that they now share so that by their loving example they may pass on the light of love to their children and to their children's children forever Amen." The priest read._

" _Amen" Both Ranger and I spoke at the same time._

" _The bible states that 'two are better than one; they receive a good reward for their toil, because if one fails, the other can help their partner up again'. In my presence and the presence of these witnesses you have made promises today. You have declared your love and friendship before God. It is my pleasure with the blessing of God to congratulate you on your continued love and commitment to each other." The priest finished._

 _There was applause around us. I glanced around to see people had gathered to watch the ceremony. I had never even noticed them until now. I looked down feeling my cheeks fill with blush. Ranger moved my head back up and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. He pulled away to look into my eyes._

" _Babe" He smiled._

 _He pulled me tight against his chest and wrapped his arms around me. He squeezed me so close there was no space between us. I closed my eyes and melted against him. I allowed myself for just this moment to pretend that it was real, to pretend that he meant the promises as much as I did. I felt a tap on Ranger's shoulder and he gently pulled us apart._

" _In all of my years I don't know if I have ever seen two people so in love before." The man remarked._

 _The priest held out his hand to Ranger and they shook. Once he released Ranger's hand he leaned in to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek._

" _Go with God." He crossed himself and both of us did the same._

 _He smiled before he walked away from us to say his goodbyes to the other couples. Ranger grabbed my hand and led me down the beach. I walked at his side squeezing his hand tightly. He led us back to our bungalow and unlocked the door. I moved to step through the doorway and he grabbed my wrist to stop me. He bent down and scooped me up bridal style and carried me through the door._

" _You don't have…" I began._

 _The look on his face stopped me from finishing the sentence. He was looking at me like I was the most beautiful woman in the world. I felt a blush creep up my cheeks and he smiled. He set me down onto my feet and turned to lock the door before leading us into the bedroom. He turned me towards him and pulled my right hand in front of his chest. He slid the diamond ring from my finger and moved it to the left finger to join the matching wedding band. He brought each of my hands to his lips and covered them both in slow gentle kisses._

 _*************************************SMUT***********************************_

 _I cupped his face in my hands and he froze. I leaned in and kissed him, slow and seductively. I pulled back and took a step away from him. He moved like he was going to step towards me but I placed my hand against his chest to stop him. He stopped and raised an eyebrow in question; I took another step back and reached behind me. I grabbed the top of the zipper and pulled it down as low as it would go. I grabbed at the front of the dress and slowly slid it over my shoulders, allowing it to drop to the floor._

" _Mmm" He moaned._

 _I smiled and reached behind me again to unclasp my bra. I slid the straps over my shoulders and let it fall down at my feet on top of the dress. I dug my thumbs into the sides of my panties and waited. He slowly took his eyes off of mine and started to scan down my body. Once he had passed the view of my naked breasts his eyes settled on my hands. I slowly pulled down the lacy material until it was on the floor with the rest of my clothes._

 _I stepped out of the pile and moved closer to him. He stood still not used to my boldness and anxious to see what I would do next. I reached up for his shoulders and moved the suit jacket down his arms before I tossed it to the side. My hands rubbed his chest before untucking the white collared shirt. I began at the top and slowly undid each button. I considered ripping it apart and letting the buttons fly all around, but for some reason I needed this to be slow and special._

 _Once I had his shirt unbuttoned I pulled it from his shoulders and tossed it away. The look on his face displayed exactly how difficult it was for him to stand still and let me have the control. I never had to say a word he just knew that this was what I wanted. I reached for his belt and quickly pulled it loose from his pants. I got down on my knees and reached for his shoes. I pulled them off one at a time before looking up at him. He was staring down at me, eyes glued to my face. I ran my hands along his thighs and only stopped when I reached the bare skin of his abdomen._

 _I slowly placed kisses along the skin above his pants while I undid the button and the zipper. I pulled away and looked back up to him as I slid his pants down to his ankles. I gave the pants a little tug against his ankles, he quickly raised each foot until the pants were free of him and I tossed them across the room. I put my hands back to his thighs and gently massaged them. I watched his hands move towards me as they slid into the sides of my hair. His thumbs caressed my cheek bones and I closed my eyes allowing myself to relax into his strong hands. After a moment, I lowered my chin and looked straight ahead._

" _Mmm" I moaned._

 _Before me was one of my absolutely favorite parts of this man. I reached out with both hands and gripped his large member into my small hands. I leaned in and kissed the top as I heard him moan out my name. I swirled my tongue in a circle around his tip before sliding my tongue along the full length. After minutes of licking and teasing I finally took him into my mouth and used my hand at his base to stroke the part I couldn't fit into my mouth. My empty hand moved to caress his lower back as his hands massaged my hair._

 _I didn't even consider that I would ever enjoy giving a man a blow job. It wasn't something I ever did without being asked. It wasn't something I ever did to completion. It was always just foreplay to me, the means that justified the end. This was different with Ranger. I wanted to please him. I wanted to give him this pleasure. I wanted to make him cum. His growl brought my task back into focus. I moved my hand and mouth together along his thick shaft. As I sucked him into my mouth I swirled my tongue along the sides of him as I slid him in and out of my mouth._

" _Babe" He said hoarsely._

 _I felt his hands grip my head and he tried to pull me to my feet. I shook my head slowly and looked up into his face. His eyes were hooded with desire and completely focused on me. I moaned and allowed my mouth to vibrate against him. He threw his head back and I moved my mouth and hand faster. I listened to his pants as his breath caught. Suddenly he inhaled deeply. He began a low long moan as his thickness pulsed in my mouth. Suddenly I tasted his release. I kept my pace as he bent at the waist and grunted out his pleasure._

" _Fuck" He breathed out._

 _I didn't stop. I wanted to completely drain him. I wanted him beyond satisfied. I wanted to blow his mind. Within a couple of minutes he was backing away from me and holding on tightly to my hair. He blew out a deep breath._

" _I can't take anymore." He explained._

" _Sorry." I smirked as I sat back onto my feet._

" _No you're not." He smirked back._

 _He reached down under my arms and pulled me to my feet. His hands slid around my waist and moved up my back. I felt a warmth surge through my body as his hands worked their way into my hair. He pulled my face to his and kissed me deeply with lots of tongue. When he pulled back he rested his forehead against mine._

" _That was incredible." He told me._

" _Was it now?" I teased._

" _Beyond incredible. Amazing." He told me._

" _I want to be the best you ever had." I confided._

" _You already are." He quickly responded._

" _Mmm" I moaned out my content in his words._

" _It's my turn to show you what I'm the best at." He teased as he pulled me up into his arms._

" _Hey." I pretended to protest._

 _In seconds I was on the bed. I expected him to immediately jump on top of me but he didn't. He stood back and admired my body. I felt my cheeks blush. I know my body wasn't perfect but he made me feel like it was perfect for him. I knew I wasn't the best looking woman he had ever been with but as usual the way he looked at me made me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world._

 _He stood at the end of the bed and grabbed my ankle. He lifted my leg and moved in close as he laid a gentle kiss on my calf. He continued to kiss my leg as he pulled himself up onto the bed with his knees on the mattress. His kissed made it all the way to my belly before he made a little U-turn and dropped his light kisses down the other leg. He had made a complete loop around the promised land._

 _The notion of what was coming next had me twisting and turning in the sheets. The anticipation was driving me wild with need. His kisses stopped and I looked up at him as he gripped each ankle. He pushed them back and settled my feet flat on the bed. His hands slid up to my knees and he rubbed gently before he jerked them apart. I gasped at the sudden rough movement. His hands kneaded my inner thighs and his thumbs moved closer and closer to my heat. I dropped my head back and arched my back when I felt his thumbs press into my glistening lips. He moved them slowly up and down and I resisted the urge to yell for him to go faster and touch me where I needed him most._

 _I felt his warm breath on the top of my mound before I felt the gentle kiss. He kisses slowly and gently up and down the trail he had made with his thumbs. I gasped again when his thumbs spread my lips open and his lips brushed gentle kisses along my wetness. He was driving me crazy. I wanted to grab his hair and force his face against me. I moaned when I felt his tongue touch the most erogenous zone on my body._

 _He circled me with his tongue. He went around my nub and down to my sex where he dipped in his tongue. He stroked in and out of me with his tongue before working his way back up. His tongue pressed against my throbbing bundle of nerves once, twice and finally a third time before his lips covered my nub. I cried out as he sucked me hard into his hot mouth. I squealed and twisted when I felt his teeth nibble my sensitive skin. I felt my shoulders arch up off of the bed when I felt him circle a finger around my wet entrance._

 _He slowly slid his finger inside me as his mouth kept up the amazing assault on my sweet spot. I lost all control. I sighed, panted, moaned, and nearly screamed in pleasure. The feeing slowly built inside of me and now I was teetering on the edge and ready to explode. Sensing exactly what I needed Ranger slid another finger inside of me and increased the pace of his tongue against me. I grasped at the sheets and let my head fall to the side as ecstasy took me over and I fell off the edge._

" _Yes." I repeated over and over._

 _He didn't stop. He didn't ease up. If anything he increased his speed and pressure. Before I could recover from the first orgasm another shuddered through my body forcing me to arch my ass off of the bed and drive myself against his mouth. His arms wrapped around my waist and held me tight against him. His fingers left me empty only for a second before his tongue filled the hole. He lapped up the juices of pleasure that flowed easily from my body as I began to relax onto the mattress._

" _Holy shit."_

 _I remarked after he had climbed up the bed and laid beside me. I moved into his side and rested my head on his chest. My body was still throbbing with pleasure as I tried to catch my breath and slow my heart rate. He pulled the sheet up and placed kisses on the top of my head. I smiled to myself before tilting my chin up to look at him._

" _Who knew marriage could bring on more intense orgasms? It's got to be a second marriage thing." I joked._

" _I think it's a love thing Babe." He kissed my nose._

" _Oh you love me?" I smiled._

 _He actually rolled his eyes. I pouted. He slowly shook his head and I batted my eyelashes and pouted some more._

" _Yeah I love you." He smiled._

 _I waited for more but he just watched me with a smile on his face. I felt his slide to my back as his fingers began to trace excruciating slow designs along my spine. I nuzzled my face into his neck and purred in pleasure. I walked my fingers across his chest and when I reached his nipple I drew slow lazy circles around him with my fingers. He wrapped his arms around me and flipped me onto my back. He grabbed each wrist and pushed them into the mattress. He kissed my forehead and then each cheek. He slowly covered my face in slow gentle kisses._

 _He gave me a wolf's grin and then focused on my neck. More kisses were spread along my aching flesh. His kisses trailed down my neck into the crook with his tongue and then onto my shoulders. He released my wrists when he reached my breasts. He sat back onto his knees and leaned over me. His eyes left mine only to focus on my ready mounds. He took a nipple into his mouth and cradled my other breast with his calloused palm. I arched into him when I felt his teeth nibble on my hard pert nipple._

 _I felt the dampness flow from my core as my body begged to be filled. I wanted him so badly. I reached around to his back and massaged my hands down until I reached his firm round ass cheeks. I kneaded deeply into his skin and then pushed him forward against me. He lost his balance and had to release his hands from where they were caressing me just to stop himself from completely falling on top of me. He chuckled as he pressed against me._

" _You want me bad." His lips brushed across mine._

" _Very bad." I kissed him._

" _How bad?" He teased._

" _So bad." I purred._

 _I wrapped my arms tightly around him and fell to the side, dragging him along with me. I kissed him before biting down on his lower lip and pulling on it gently. He grabbed the back of my head and took my mouth thrusting his tongue deep inside. His hands stroked up and down my back. I twisted and pulled away from him and he fell back onto the pillow. I rose above him and he looked at me in surprise and then I attacked his neck. I licked and bit and sucked my way from one ear to the other. Each breath that came from his mouth sounded like he was completely relaxed as if my mouth was massaging his body. His hands snaked around my waist and pulled me on top of him. I felt him hard against me and felt my body ache for him. I wanted him inside of me now but I wanted to torture and tease him, to prolong the pleasure for both of us._

 _I slid back and forth across his thick shaft as my juices coated him. He arched and moved and tried so hard to line himself up to slide into me. I wriggled away and kept myself pressed hard against him. I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him into a sitting position before guiding his lips to my hard nipple. He sucked my taught tip hard into his mouth and I moaned out. I rocked on his lap still keeping us both from what we really wanted. He shuddered and threw his head back as I moved my body up and down against his hard shaft._

 _Before I could think his hands were on my ass and I was in the air. I fell onto my back as he pressed against me. He dragged his mouth along my throat and I felt the heat of his breath against me. He leaned back and ran his hand slowly down my body. He began at my neck and traced a path in between my breasts and past my belly button. When he reached my slick center he pressed hard against me as he slid down to my waiting hole and slid two fingers inside of me.. Before the feeling settled his fingers twisted up to reach that elusive spot that all other lovers had missed. I shuddered against him as I rode his fingers until I was chanting his name in ecstasy._

 _He pulled out his fingers and sucked them into his mouth. It was one of the hottest things I had ever seen. My body was screaming for him, it was no longer just a want, having him had become a need and I wanted to have him right now. I reached down and circled my hands around his thickness. He groaned when I squeezed him before my hands moved to stroke him. He felt like velvet covering hard steel and it was too much for me. I gently tugged him forward towards me and released him only when I felt his hands on my hips._

 _He gave me a squeeze before moving to my thighs and spreading my legs wide. He entered me in one stroke as the pain and pleasure mixed in my body. He stilled and gripped my hips with both of his hands. He began slowly thrusting inside of me. The strength of his hips pressed against me forcing me to arch my hips and press back against him. We started a slow deep rhythm as I closed my eyes to bask in the feel of him. I caressed his back with my hands. He covered my mouth with his and caressed one side of my face._

 _He pulled back but this time he didn't slide back inside of me. He slammed into me hard. I felt my nails dig into his back as I cried out. He stroked in and out of me again and I relaxed into the pleasure when suddenly he did it again. I found myself waiting for it. Counting the strokes and wondering which one would have him slamming back into me. Electricity was racing through my veins as the sound of my heart pounded in my ear and he slid in and out. I gasped out in surprise when he slammed back into me again, stilling as I felt his tip reach deeper than I had ever been touched inside._

 _I could feel the pressure inside of me coiling and I knew I was close to exploding. He resumed his long slow strokes. My head dropped to the side and he pressed his lips to my neck. He licked and nibbled as a pulse of pleasure rippled through my body. I felt the first flutters of my orgasm moving through my body and pushed hard against his back. He slammed into me again and again. No more slow strokes. He plunged deep into me over and over and I felt myself going over the edge. I called out his name as he rode me through my orgasm._

 _I expected him to follow me over the edge but he didn't. He slowed down again and kept up a steady pace. He lifted my leg up and set it on his shoulder. He arranged my body so I was on my side changing the angle of his thrusts. I closed my eyes and basked in the pleasure that throbbed through me. He slowly moved me again and I was on my stomach. I would normally panic at this point but he was already inside me. He wasn't trying to trick me or play games with me. He grabbed my hips and pulled me back against him until I was on my knees._

 _I arched my back with pleasure at the new angle and felt my muscles flex to the point of pain that felt so good. I could tell by his breathing that he was getting ready to explode and the thought drove me closer to my own end. His pace quickened and I couldn't hold back anymore. I heard myself release squeals of delight. I moaned "oohs" and "ahhs" as the feeling overtook me and my muscles surrounded him. I finally heaved out an ecstatic sigh as I fell into bliss. He gave one last hard thrust before he fell against me. His hands stroked up and down my spine as he pressed hard against me filling me with his hot sweet release._

 _*************************END SMUT******************_

 _I allowed my body to relax and slowly slid my body forward. He pulled back and planted kisses from my lower back up to my neck. He moved behind me and gathered the sheets up around us. His arms wrapped around me before he pulled me into him. Our bodies fit perfectly together and I melted into him. His hand came up to tuck some of my unruly hair behind my ear. He kissed my temple and I let out a sigh of satisfaction. I closed my eyes sore and exhausted._

" _Is this how you pictured married life Mrs. Manoso? If only for a little while?" He asked._

" _Forever wouldn't be long enough." I heard myself mumble before sleep overtook me._

My eyes snapped open. Ohmigod! I remembered. I remembered my wedding to Carlos. I remembered that first night together. All this time and all of his words of dismissal until that day. That day on the beach no one was watching us. There were no wires and no back-up. Anyone who knew Ranger knew he never did anything that he didn't want to do. The look in his eyes when he said 'I do' was full of love for me. I reached up to touch my lips that were tingling as I remembered the touch of his lips on mine. I smiled as I remembered the priest clearing his throat when our kiss ran a little longer than a church kiss. He loved me. He loved me and he wanted to be married to me.

Ranger walked back into the living room carrying two cups of coffee but stopped short when he saw me.

"Babe?" It was a question.

I looked at him with all the love I felt welling up in my eyes and I smiled a blinding sweet soft smile at him.

"I remember Carlos. I remember the wedding. I remembered us saying our vows. I remembered our wedding night."

He set down the cups and took me in his arms. Tears finally leaked out as I felt my heart bursting with the love I feel for him and the love I could see in his eyes and every loving moment we have shared since then.

*****************************THANK YOU********************

Thank you Jenn & Thank you patient readers. I had emergency surgery and was in the hospital for four days. Hope to get to finishing this sooner than later.


	32. NOTE

Note-

I have not abandoned the story nor forgotten my readers. I don't want to just sling an ending together to make people feel like it's complete. I will complete it, I just want it to be worth reading. The title is apt for where I am in my writing. I am figuratively stuck. I want it to end just right. I need the facts perfect for the ending of the court case and how it all comes together. I know being patient sucks and I know you want the resolution now. It's coming, and I know it's been a while. Making the time to sit and get it right has been an issue with life, health, holidays, etc. I can give you a million excuses but the main thing it making the time to let the inspiration flow.

Thank you for your patience and thank you for reading. I have not disappeared. I read all of the reviews, even when it hurts that people are disappointed. This is done for free, with no profits and in the time I can make. My business and supporting my family will always come first.

I will repeat….I do care about my readers. I do realize the wait has many of you frustrated. I do realize the suspense sucks and I know some of you have just moved on. All of this I accept. I can only tell you that it will be finished properly. I'm not going to rush it to appease anyone.

To those who have sent reassuring messages and posts, I appreciate your patience and loyalty. Thanks for continuing to bear with me. It's a resolution for the new year to finish this story no later than March 1st.

Thank you all for reading and my apologies it the update got your hopes up.


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